In 2008 the European Community carries out a reform process of the entire wine sector, which with Regulation (EC) n. 479/2008 (which amends the previous (EC) No. 1493/1999, (EC) No. 1782/2003, (EC) No. 1290/2005 and (EC) No. 3/2008 and repeals the regulations (EEC ) No. 2392/86 and (EC) No. 1493/199) receives a simplification of the regulatory framework with the alignment of the wine regulation with that already existing for the classification of other quality food products: DOP (Protected Designation of Origin) and I.G.P. (Protected Geographical Indication).
This Regulation provides only the following two macro-categories of wines:
– Wines with geographical indication (respectively D.O.P. and I.G.P.);
– Wines without Geographical Indication (Wine [former “table wine”], Vino Varietale and / or Vintage Wine).
In Italy, however, the use of the original abbreviations that characterized Italian quality wines before European legislation is allowed, ie:
Controlled and Guaranteed Denomination of Origin (D.O.C.G.);
Denomination of Controlled Origin (D.O.C.);
Typical Geographical Indication (I.G.T.)
The Italian classification, similarly to the European one, therefore states that the mark for wines with Typical Geographical Indication (I.G.T.), can be used instead of the European correspondent for wines with Protected Geographical Indication (I.G.P.).
In the same way the wines with Denomination of Controlled Origin (D.O.C.) and those with Denomination of Controlled and Guaranteed Origin (D.O.C.G.) remain however as Italian specificity, but fall under the corresponding Protected Designation of Origin (D.O.P.) which absorbs both.