What DOC Means On Italian Wine Labels
NEWS
By MATTHEW LEE
While the best measure of a wine’s quality is through a taste test, a quick glance at the label can often reveal whether a bottle is worth bringing home with you or not.
In Italy, the term “DOC” on a wine label refers to an appellation system known as Denominazione di Origine Controllata, or “controlled designation of origin.”
When you spot DOC on a bottle of Italian wine, it signifies that the wine is guaranteed to be one of the roughly 330 designated varieties produced throughout Italy.
Depending on the specific type of wine, it must adhere to strict regulations, covering everything from the types of grapes used to harvest yields and aging requirements.
The DOC system also ensures that the wine originates from a specified wine-growing region in Italy, often indicated on the label. Above the DOC rank is the prestigious DOCG.
Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita or “controlled and guaranteed designation of origin,” is the highest classification for Italian wine, reserved for the finest.
To earn the DOCG distinction, a wine must undergo an even more rigorous quality control process than DOC-labelled wines and also pass a government taste test.