Have you ever read an Italian wine label and wondered what all those words mean? From frizzante to riserva Italian wine bottles are chock full of information that tells you about how and where the wine was made, as well as what it tastes like.
Use our guide below to learn what common Italian wine terms mean. Then, get your bottle of vino from Eataly Toronto with your takeout or food delivery order! Through August 9, continue your vino journey as we take you from "I don't know" to vino pro by learning more about our producers, Virtual Wine tastings, and more.
COLOUR
The most basic factor in choosing a wine is the colour!Vino bianco: white wine Vino rosato: rosé wine Vino rosso: red wine
DRY VS SWEET
Are you looking for something dry or sweet? Sparkling or still? The following terms are used to indicate levels of dryness and sweetness.Abboccato: semi-dry and slightly sweet Amabile: semi-sweet Brut: dry, sparkling wine (ok, so this is French but the same word is used in Italian as well) Dolce: sweet Frizzante: lightly sparkling Spumante: a sparkling dry or sweet wine Secco: dry (often applied to still wines)
METHODS & STYLES
From drying processes to ageing periods, there are many methods and styles that Italian winemakers can use to produce their wine.Appassimento: a method of drying grapes, used to concentrate the flavour and sugar of the grapes. Very common in Amarone wine! Passito: a concentrated, sweet dessert wine made with dried grapes Riserva: wine that has been aged for a specific time before it is put on the market Vino liquoroso: fortified wine Vin Santo: a sweet wine common in Toscana, generally consumed at the end of a meal (and delicious for dipping cantucci)
PRODUCER
There are many different types of winemakers throughout Italy. Labels usually indicate the name of the producer and tell you what type of property the wine was made on.Azienda Agricola: a farm or estate that grows grapes and produces wine Cantina: winery Cascina: farmhouse Tenuta: farm or estate Produttore: producer Podere: small estate or property
Now that you're an expert, order your bottle of vino from Eataly Toronto with your takeout or food delivery order!