Also by Jeremy Young:The Italy Wine ProjectThe Humidor Project
The Italy Wine Project

What's changed since 1963

The DOC law came in 1963. The first DOCs followed in 1966 and the first DOCGs in 1980. This is every year since, newest first: which appellations were created or promoted, which were renamed or split, and what happened in the law and the wider story.

It's built from my database of today's 411 appellations (79 DOCGs and 332 DOCs), so when a new one is approved and I add it, it shows up here. An appellation that was later abolished or folded into another only appears where a current one mentions it.

  1. 2026

    Nothing new in my data this year.

  2. 2025

    2 new DOCGs

    • Law and historyCirò Classico becomes Calabria's first DOCG, and Casauria becomes Italy's newest.

    New DOCGs

  3. 2024

    Nothing new in my data this year.

  4. 2023

    1 new DOCG, 1 change

    New DOCG

    Renamed, split or changed

    • Emilia-Romagna Emilia-Romagna2021 (DOC, with Pignoletto as its only type; EU registration 2023)
  5. 2022

    Nothing new in my data this year.

  6. 2021

    1 new DOC

    • Law and historyChianti Classico approves eleven village areas, the UGAs, for Gran Selezione labels.

    New DOC

  7. 2020

    1 new DOCG

    • Law and historyProsecco Rosé is allowed, with Pinot Nero for colour.

    New DOCG

  8. 2019

    1 new DOCG

    • Law and historyThe Prosecco hills of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene join UNESCO's list.

    New DOCG

  9. 2018

    Nothing new in my data this year.

  10. 2017

    1 new DOC, 1 change

    New DOC

    Renamed, split or changed

  11. 2016

    1 new DOC

    • Law and historyLaw 238, the Testo Unico del vino, gathers Italian wine law into one text.

    New DOC

  12. 2015

    Nothing new in my data this year.

  13. 2014

    1 new DOCG

    • Law and historyChianti Classico Gran Selezione reaches the shelves, and the Langhe, Roero and Monferrato become a UNESCO site.

    New DOCG

  14. 2013

    1 new DOC

    New DOC

  15. 2012

    Nothing new in my data this year.

  16. 2011

    20 new DOCGs, 23 new DOCs, 12 changes

    New DOCGs

    New DOCs

    Renamed, split or changed

    • Colli Bolognesi Pignoletto Emilia-Romagna2010 (DOCG; Colli Bolognesi Classico Pignoletto, renamed 2011)
    • Dogliani Piedmont2005 (DOCG for Dolcetto di Dogliani Superiore; renamed Dogliani 2011, absorbing the 1974 DOC)
    • Falerio Marche1975 (DOC, as Falerio dei Colli Ascolani; renamed Falerio 2011)
    • Friuli Colli Orientali Friuli-Venezia Giulia1970 (DOC, as Colli Orientali del Friuli; renamed 2011)
    • Golfo del Tigullio-Portofino (Portofino) Liguria1997 (DOC, renamed to include Portofino 2011)
    • Lessini Durello (Durello Lessini) Veneto1988 (DOC, as Lessini Durello); split from Monti Lessini 2011
    • Monti Lessini Veneto1987 (DOC, as Lessini Durello); renamed Monti Lessini 2011 for still wines
    • Romagna Albana Emilia-Romagna1987 (DOCG, first white DOCG in Italy; renamed Romagna Albana 2011)
    • San Torpè Tuscany1980 (DOC, as Bianco Pisano di San Torpè); renamed San Torpè in 2011
    • Val di Cornia Tuscany1989 (DOC); the Rosso and Suvereto sub-zone were promoted to separate DOCGs in 2011
    • Valdichiana Toscana Tuscany1972 (DOC, as Bianco Vergine Valdichiana); renamed Valdichiana Toscana in 2011
    • Valdinievole Tuscany1976 (DOC, as Bianco della Valdinievole); renamed Valdinievole in 2011
  17. 2010

    11 new DOCGs, 15 new DOCs, 1 change

    • Law and historyLegislative Decree 61 brings Italian law into line with the EU's DOP and IGP categories.

    New DOCGs

    New DOCs

    Renamed, split or changed

    Where later appellations started

    • Casauria Abruzzo2025 (DOCG, EU registration 11 November 2025); Casauria subzone of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC since 2010
  18. 2009

    3 new DOCGs, 5 new DOCs, 1 change

    • Law and historyProsecco becomes a protected place name, the grape is renamed Glera, and the Prosecco DOC and DOCGs are set up.

    New DOCGs

    New DOCs

    Renamed, split or changed

    • Reggiano Emilia-Romagna1971 (DOC, as Lambrusco Reggiano; renamed Reggiano 2009)
  19. 2008

    6 new DOCGs, 3 new DOCs, 1 change

    New DOCGs

    New DOCs

    Renamed, split or changed

    • Curtefranca Lombardy1967 (DOC as Franciacorta; renamed Terre di Franciacorta 1995, Curtefranca 2008)
  20. 2007

    2 new DOCGs, 3 new DOCs

    New DOCGs

    New DOCs

    Where later appellations started

  21. 2006

    1 new DOCG, 3 new DOCs

    • Law and historyWhite grapes are no longer allowed in Chianti Classico.

    New DOCG

    New DOCs

  22. 2005

    2 new DOCGs, 5 new DOCs

    New DOCGs

    New DOCs

  23. 2004

    3 new DOCGs, 6 new DOCs

    New DOCGs

    New DOCs

  24. 2003

    4 new DOCGs, 3 new DOCs

    New DOCGs

    New DOCs

  25. 2002

    3 new DOCs

    New DOCs

  26. 2001

    3 new DOCGs, 2 new DOCs

    New DOCGs

    New DOCs

  27. 2000

    6 new DOCs

    New DOCs

    Where later appellations started

    • Nizza Piedmont2014 (DOCG; previously a Barbera d'Asti Superiore subzone from 2000)
  28. 1999

    6 new DOCs

    New DOCs

  29. 1998

    3 new DOCGs, 7 new DOCs

    New DOCGs

    New DOCs

  30. 1997

    1 new DOCG, 11 new DOCs, 1 change

    New DOCG

    New DOCs

    Renamed, split or changed

    • Reno Emilia-Romagna1987 (DOC, as Bianco del Reno; renamed Reno 1997)
  31. 1996

    3 new DOCGs, 18 new DOCs, 2 changes

    • Law and historyChianti Classico becomes a DOCG separate from Chianti.

    New DOCGs

    New DOCs

    Renamed, split or changed

  32. 1995

    1 new DOCG, 12 new DOCs, 1 change

    New DOCG

    New DOCs

    Renamed, split or changed

    • Curtefranca Lombardy1967 (DOC as Franciacorta; renamed Terre di Franciacorta 1995, Curtefranca 2008)

    Where later appellations started

  33. 1994

    10 new DOCs, 1 change

    New DOCs

    Renamed, split or changed

    • Bolgheri Tuscany1983 (DOC, originally white and rosato only); red rules from 1994

    Where later appellations started

  34. 1993

    3 new DOCGs, 4 new DOCs

    New DOCGs

    New DOCs

  35. 1992

    1 new DOCG, 3 new DOCs

    • Law and historyLaw 164, the Goria law, adds IGT and reworks the quality pyramid.

    New DOCG

    New DOCs

  36. 1991

    1 new DOC, 3 changes

    New DOC

    Renamed, split or changed

    • Friuli Aquileia Friuli-Venezia Giulia1975 (DOC, as Aquileia; renamed Friuli Aquileia 1991)
    • Friuli Grave Friuli-Venezia Giulia1970 (DOC, as Grave del Friuli; renamed 1991)
    • Friuli Latisana Friuli-Venezia Giulia1975 (DOC, as Latisana; renamed Friuli Latisana 1991)
  37. 1990

    3 new DOCGs, 1 new DOC

    New DOCGs

    New DOC

    Where later appellations started

    • Amelia Umbria2011 (DOC, replacing Colli Amerini DOC of 1990)
  38. 1989

    8 new DOCs, 1 change

    New DOCs

    Renamed, split or changed

    • Friuli Isonzo Friuli-Venezia Giulia1974 (DOC, as Isonzo; renamed Friuli Isonzo 1989)
  39. 1988

    5 new DOCs

    New DOCs

  40. 1987

    1 new DOCG, 7 new DOCs

    • Law and historyAlbana di Romagna becomes the first white DOCG.

    New DOCG

    New DOCs

  41. 1986

    1 new DOC

    • Law and historyWine cut with methanol kills more than 20 people and leads to tighter controls.

    New DOC

  42. 1985

    7 new DOCs

    New DOCs

  43. 1984

    2 new DOCGs, 4 new DOCs, 1 change

    New DOCGs

    New DOCs

    Renamed, split or changed

  44. 1983

    8 new DOCs

    New DOCs

  45. 1982

    1 new DOC

    New DOC

  46. 1981

    3 new DOCs

    New DOCs

  47. 1980

    4 new DOCGs, 4 new DOCs

    • Law and historyBarolo, Barbaresco, Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano become the first DOCGs.

    New DOCGs

    New DOCs

  48. 1979

    8 new DOCs

    New DOCs

  49. 1978

    3 new DOCs

    New DOCs

  50. 1977

    5 new DOCs

    New DOCs

  51. 1976

    9 new DOCs

    New DOCs

  52. 1975

    14 new DOCs

    New DOCs

    Where later appellations started

  53. 1974

    11 new DOCs

    New DOCs

    Where later appellations started

    • Dogliani Piedmont2005 (DOCG for Dolcetto di Dogliani Superiore; renamed Dogliani 2011, absorbing the 1974 DOC)
    • Noto Sicily2008 (replacing Moscato di Noto DOC of 1974)
  54. 1973

    14 new DOCs

    New DOCs

    Where later appellations started

    • Siracusa Sicily1973 (as Moscato di Siracusa; renamed Siracusa DOC 2011)
  55. 1972

    19 new DOCs

    New DOCs

  56. 1971

    15 new DOCs

    • Law and historyAntinori's Tignanello drops the white grapes Chianti then required and is sold as vino da tavola.

    New DOCs

    Where later appellations started

    • Pantelleria Sicily1971 (as Moscato di Pantelleria; unified as Pantelleria DOC 2000)
  57. 1970

    19 new DOCs

    New DOCs

  58. 1969

    15 new DOCs

    New DOCs

  59. 1968

    18 new DOCs

    • Law and historySassicaia's first commercial vintage, from Cabernet planted at Bolgheri.

    New DOCs

  60. 1967

    14 new DOCs

    New DOCs

  61. 1966

    10 new DOCs

    • Law and historyVernaccia di San Gimignano becomes the first DOC.

    New DOCs

  62. 1965

    Nothing new in my data this year.

  63. 1964

    Nothing new in my data this year.

  64. 1963

    • Law and historyPresidential Decree 930 creates the DOC and DOCG categories.

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