🏷️ DOCG
The top Italian wine category, with the strictest rules and checks.
DOCG is the highest category of Italian wine. It stands for "controlled and guaranteed designation of origin". It appeared in the early 1980s as a stricter level above DOC. There are more than 70 such designations.
DOCG rules are the strictest: the area, grapes, yield per hectare and ageing time are all defined. The wine is checked in a laboratory and by tasting before it gains the status. A numbered state paper strip sits on the bottle neck to show that the wine passed the check.
DOCG is part of the European system of protected designations of origin (PDO). Below it on the Italian scale are DOC and IGT. Some designations add "Classico" (the historic heart of the zone) or "Riserva" (wine aged longer). Well-known DOCGs include Barolo, Brunello di Montalcino and Chianti Classico. It is a marker of quality, but taste always depends on the producer.
What it includes
Links
- Part of
- 🏷️ Protected designation of origin (wine)
- Where it applies
- 🗺️ Italian wine
- Similar and different
- 🏷️ DOC (Italy), 🏷️ IGT, 🏷️ Classico, 🏷️ Menzione geografica aggiuntiva, 🏷️ Riserva
Frequently asked questions
What does DOCG mean?
Controlled and guaranteed designation of origin, the top category of Italian wine.
What is the paper strip on a DOCG bottle?
A numbered state strip showing that the wine passed the check.
How does DOCG differ from DOC?
DOCG has stricter rules and checks, and far fewer designations.
Similar
🏷️ DOC (Italy) · 🏷️ DOCa / DOQ · 🏷️ Vino de Pago · 🏷️ Vino de Calidad con Indicación Geográfica · 🏷️ OEM (Hungary) · 🏷️ Romanian DOC
⚠️ Wine contains alcohol: adults only, drink in moderation. Wine usually contains sulphites; egg white or milk proteins are sometimes used for fining — important for allergies and for vegans.