Italian wines

In Italy, the Etruscans and Latins were already cultivating vines. When they established their colonies there, the Greeks named part of the territory Oenotria, which means "land of wine." By the end of the Roman Empire, the area planted with vines was already considerable, thanks in particular to the land given to veterans and the authorizations to plant grape varieties there. 

Subsequently, viticulture was maintained at a high level of production, thanks in particular to the monasteries, and grew rapidly in the 19th century. As in the rest of Europe, phylloxera wreaked havoc on Italian vineyards. The wars and crises of the 20th century changed the economics of viticulture, with production being exported in large quantities, undoubtedly to the detriment of quality. This change was detrimental to the most demanding Italian producers for a long time, whose expertise ensures a level of excellence that is now increasingly recognized. 

Since 1992, high-quality Italian wines have been effectively protected by an efficient appellation system (notably the Denominazioni di Origine Controllata - D.O.C. - and the Denominazioni di Origine Controllata e Garantita - D.O.C.G. - which represent around 20% of total production), as is the case for Barolo, Monferrato, Chianti and Moscato d'Asti.