Italy Wine Map Maker: Build Custom DOC and DOCG Maps in 2D and 3D
Over 400 appellations across 20 wine-producing regions. Build your own custom maps of the most complex wine country on earth.
The Italy Map Maker is an interactive GIS workspace built on SommGeo’s Italian appellation layers: all 409 DOCs and DOCGs across the 20 regions, loadable all at once, as DOCGs only or DOCs only, by north, centre or south, or split into overarching appellations and the ones nested inside them, each with its boundary and profile. Load a layer from the legend, choose a basemap, switch between 2D and 3D, run elevation profiles and the solar aspect tool, sketch and label on top, then save the view as an image. The interactive map is part of SommGeo membership, which starts with a free 15-day trial.
- Appellations on the map: 409: 77 DOCGs and 332 DOCs across all 20 regions, every boundary clickable
- Layers: All PDOs, DOCGs only, DOCs only, Northern (172), Central (116) and Southern Italy (121), primary, overarching and nested appellations, plus outline and white-label versions for clean exports
- Tools: 2D and 3D views, basemap gallery, measure and elevation profile, daylight simulator, sketch and label (2D only), save as image
- Export: Save captures the current view as a downloadable image; untick “Include Legend” for a clean map
- Profiles: Every appellation opens a popup with its grapes, rules, geology and climate; where appellations stack, arrows in the popup header step through them
- Spread: Vineyards in all 20 regions, from Alpine Valle d’Aosta near 46°N to Pantelleria off Sicily at about 37°N, with Etna’s highest plots near 1,000 m (3,300 ft)
Italy is, by any reasonable measure, the most diverse and complicated wine country in the world. All 20 administrative regions produce wine. There are 77 DOCGs and 332 DOCs (409 individual appellations in total, all on this map) and the indigenous grape variety count tops 500 depending on who’s counting. From the Nebbiolo-driven slopes of Barolo and Barbaresco in the northwest to the volcanic terraces of Etna in Sicily, this is a country where every hillside seems to have its own grape, its own tradition, and its own fiercely held opinion about how wine should be made. This Italy wine regions Map Maker gives you the tools to explore all of it. Toggle between nested and overarching appellations, filter by DOC or DOCG, switch basemaps, and build presentation-ready maps in 2D or 3D. Every mapped appellation includes detailed popup content covering grape varieties, classification rules, climate and soil profiles, a sommelier-level reference built directly into the map.
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What You’ll Explore
This Map Maker covers the full scope of Italy’s DOC and DOCG system across all 20 wine-producing regions, but the real depth is in what each region reveals. Click on any mapped appellation and a comprehensive info panel opens with sommelier-level content: permitted grape varieties, DOCG and DOC classification requirements, soil and geological profiles, climate data, the viticultural specifics that define each area. Whether you’re reading about the calcareous marl of Barolo’s Serralunga, the volcanic soils of Etna’s Contrada system, or the clay-limestone galestro of Chianti Classico, every mapped appellation carries this level of built-in intelligence. Like the France Map Maker, Italy’s sheer number of appellations required a layered approach; you’ll find multiple options in the Layers panel that let you control exactly how much detail you’re working with at any given time.
Layers, Nesting & Filtering
The layer system offers nested vs. overarching appellations. “Overarching” layers show the broad regional designations (think Chianti DOCG as a whole, or the sprawling Prosecco DOC), while “Nested” layers let you drill into the individual appellations that sit within those larger zones. For example, you can display Barolo without the overarching Langhe or Piedmont designations cluttering the view. This is particularly useful for study, presentations, or anytime you need a clean, focused map of a specific area.
There’s also a “Primary” appellations layer, a Greg Van Wagner/SommGeo-curated selection of the most prominent and important wine regions across the country. If you don’t need all 400+ appellations on screen at once (and your device will thank you for it), this is an excellent starting point. Beyond that, dedicated DOC-only and DOCG-only layers let you filter by classification level, which is invaluable when you’re studying the hierarchy of Italian wine law or want to isolate the DOCG zones from the broader DOC landscape.
- All Italian DOC and DOCG boundaries with nested and overarching layer options
- In-depth appellation profiles for every mapped area: varieties, classification rules, geology, climate
- Dedicated DOC-only and DOCG-only filter layers for classification study
- 2D and 3D views with multiple basemap options including satellite, topographic, and terrain
- Elevation profile, measurement, and solar aspect tools for vineyard analysis
- Full-screen mode for building presentation-ready custom maps
Geography and Site Character of Italy
Italy’s viticultural identity is shaped by one fundamental geographic fact: it’s a long, narrow peninsula flanked by seas on three sides, with the Apennine Mountains running down its spine like a backbone and the Alps forming a wall across the north. This creates an extraordinary range of growing conditions within a relatively compact landmass. In the northwest, the continental climate of Piedmont (sheltered by both the Alps and the Apennines) produces the structured, tannic Nebbiolo wines of Barolo and Barbaresco. In the northeast, the moderating influence of the Adriatic and the cool air descending from the Dolomites gives Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Alto Adige their aromatic precision. Move south and the Mediterranean takes over, with Campania’s volcanic soils (Taurasi, Fiano di Avellino), Puglia’s sun-drenched plateaus, and the dramatic elevations of Etna adding complexity to what could otherwise be a simple warm-climate story.
The soil diversity is equally staggering. Calcareous marls in the Langhe, volcanic basalt and ash on Etna and in Soave, galestro and alberese in Chianti Classico, the tufo of Campania, and the red iron-rich soils of Bolgheri, every major region has a distinct geological signature that shapes its wines in measurable ways. Add in over 500 documented indigenous grape varieties (Italy has more than any other country on earth), and you begin to understand why Italian wine resists easy generalization. The Map Maker lets you see these relationships firsthand. Toggle between topographic and satellite views, run elevation profiles across vineyard sites, and understand why location matters as much here as anywhere in the wine world.
Key Wine Regions
Piedmont
Piedmont is the undisputed king of Italian red wine, and it’s not particularly close. With 19 DOCGs (the most of any region), this is where Nebbiolo reaches its highest expression in Barolo and Barbaresco. The Langhe hills, with their calcareous marl soils and significant diurnal temperature shifts, produce wines of power, structure, and remarkable aromatic complexity. Beyond the Nebbiolo headliners, Barbera d’Asti and Barbera d’Alba deliver some of Italy’s best-value serious reds, while Gavi (from Cortese) and Roero Arneis offer whites with genuine character. The recent elevation of Nizza to DOCG status (2014) signaled what local producers have long known: Barbera from the right sites can compete at the highest level. Producers like Giacomo Conterno, Bruno Giacosa, and Vietti continue to set the standard, but the depth of quality across the region has never been greater.
Tuscany
Tuscany is Sangiovese country, and the range of expression from this single variety across the region is extraordinary. Chianti Classico (the historic heart, not the expanded zones) has seen a dramatic quality revolution, with the Gran Selezione category (introduced in 2014) now representing some of the most serious wines in Italy. Brunello di Montalcino remains the region’s crown jewel for age-worthy Sangiovese, though the topic of officially designating subzones continues to be complicated by local politics (sound familiar?). Bolgheri, on the Tuscan coast, took a completely different path; Sassicaia, Ornellaia, and their neighbors built reputations on Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in what became the Super Tuscan movement, proving that great site character transcends grape variety orthodoxy.
Veneto & Friuli-Venezia Giulia
The northeast is Italy’s volume engine and its precision instrument in the same breath. Veneto produces more wine than any other region, anchored by the massive Prosecco DOC, the Valpolicella system (including Amarone, one of Italy’s most distinctive and powerful reds), and Soave, a white wine zone that has quietly become one of the country’s best values when you find the right producers on volcanic soils in the Classico zone. Friuli-Venezia Giulia, by contrast, is all about aromatic whites: Friulano, Ribolla Gialla, Pinot Grigio with actual character, and increasingly exciting orange wines from producers working in the Collio and Colli Orientali del Friuli zones near the Slovenian border.
Southern Italy & the Islands
The south is where the action is for anyone looking at Italian wine’s future. Campania’s volcanic soils produce three of the most compelling DOCGs in all of Italy: Taurasi (Aglianico), Fiano di Avellino, and Greco di Tufo. Puglia, long dismissed as bulk wine territory, is increasingly delivering serious Primitivo and Negroamaro from old-vine vineyards. And then there’s Sicily, specifically Etna, which has become arguably the most talked-about wine region in Italy over the past decade. Nerello Mascalese grown on volcanic slopes at elevations up to 1,000 meters (3,281 ft) produces wines of Burgundian transparency and elegance, with the individual contrade (vineyard sites) showing dramatic site-specific character depending on altitude, aspect, and lava flow age. Producers like Passopisciaro, Benanti, and Ciro Biondi are making wines that belong in any serious conversation about Italy’s finest.
New to the Map Makers? Explore all the tools, tips, and features in our complete walkthrough.
Map Maker Guide →DOCGs and principal DOCs you can build with (151)
All 77 DOCGs and 74 principal DOCs, by region, as drawn on the Italian layers. The Map Maker carries all 409 appellations; load a layer from the legend and click any appellation for its profile.
| Appellation | Level | Principal grapes |
|---|---|---|
| Valle d’Aosta | ||
| Valle d’Aosta | DOC | Petit Rouge, Fumin, Prié Blanc, Moscato Bianco |
| Piemonte | ||
| Alta Langa | DOCG | Pinot Nero, Chardonnay |
| Asti | DOCG | Moscato Bianco |
| Barbaresco | DOCG | Nebbiolo |
| Barbera d’Asti | DOCG | Barbera |
| Barbera del Monferrato Superiore | DOCG | Barbera, Freisa, Grignolino, Dolcetto |
| Barolo | DOCG | Nebbiolo |
| Brachetto d’Acqui | DOCG | Brachetto |
| Dogliani | DOCG | Dolcetto |
| Dolcetto di Diano d’Alba | DOCG | Dolcetto |
| Dolcetto di Ovada Superiore | DOCG | Dolcetto |
| Erbaluce di Caluso | DOCG | Erbaluce |
| Gattinara | DOCG | Nebbiolo |
| Gavi | DOCG | Cortese |
| Ghemme | DOCG | Nebbiolo, Vespolina, Uva Rara |
| Nizza | DOCG | Barbera |
| Roero | DOCG | Nebbiolo, Arneis |
| Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato | DOCG | Ruchè |
| Terre Alfieri | DOCG | Arneis, Nebbiolo |
| Barbera d’Alba | DOC | Barbera |
| Dolcetto d’Alba | DOC | Dolcetto |
| Langhe | DOC | Nebbiolo, Arneis, Chardonnay |
| Lessona | DOC | Nebbiolo, Vespolina, Uva Rara |
| Nebbiolo d’Alba | DOC | Nebbiolo |
| Piemonte | DOC | Barbera, Chardonnay, Moscato |
| Liguria | ||
| Cinque Terre | DOC | Bosco, Albarola, Vermentino |
| Riviera Ligure di Ponente | DOC | Pigato, Vermentino, Rossese, Granaccia (Grenache) |
| Rossese di Dolceacqua | DOC | Rossese |
| Lombardia | ||
| Franciacorta | DOCG | Chardonnay, Pinot Nero, Pinot Bianco |
| Oltrepò Pavese Metodo Classico | DOCG | Pinot Nero, Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio |
| Scanzo | DOCG | Moscato di Scanzo |
| Sforzato di Valtellina | DOCG | Chiavennasca (Nebbiolo) |
| Valtellina Superiore | DOCG | Chiavennasca (Nebbiolo) |
| Botticino | DOC | Barbera, Sangiovese, Marzemino, Schiava |
| Cellatica | DOC | Marzemino, Barbera, Schiava |
| Curtefranca | DOC | Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, Merlot, Cabernet Franc |
| Lugana | DOC | Turbiana |
| Oltrepò Pavese | DOC | Barbera, Croatina, Pinot Nero, Riesling |
| Valtellina Rosso | DOC | Chiavennasca (Nebbiolo) |
| Trentino-Alto Adige | ||
| Alto Adige | DOC | Pinot Grigio, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Bianco, Sauvignon Blanc |
| Trentino | DOC | Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Merlot, Marzemino |
| Trento | DOC | Chardonnay, Pinot Nero, Pinot Bianco |
| Veneto | ||
| Amarone della Valpolicella | DOCG | Corvina, Rondinella |
| Asolo Prosecco | DOCG | Glera |
| Bagnoli Friularo | DOCG | Raboso |
| Bardolino Superiore | DOCG | Corvina, Rondinella |
| Colli di Conegliano | DOCG | Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Marzemino |
| Colli Euganei Fior d’Arancio | DOCG | Moscato Giallo (Fior d’Arancio) |
| Conegliano Valdobbiadene- Prosecco | DOCG | Glera |
| Lison | DOCG | Friulano |
| Montello Rosso | DOCG | Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc |
| Piave Malanotte | DOCG | Raboso |
| Recioto della Valpolicella | DOCG | Corvina, Rondinella |
| Recioto di Gambellara | DOCG | Garganega |
| Recioto di Soave | DOCG | Garganega |
| Soave Superiore | DOCG | Garganega |
| Bardolino | DOC | Corvina, Rondinella |
| Breganze | DOC | Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Marzemino, Pinot Bianco |
| Gambellara | DOC | Garganega |
| Prosecco | DOC | Glera |
| Soave | DOC | Garganega, Trebbiano di Soave, Chardonnay |
| Valpolicella | DOC | Corvina, Rondinella |
| Valpolicella Ripasso | DOC | Corvina, Rondinella |
| Friuli-Venezia Giulia | ||
| Colli Orientali del Friuli Picolit | DOCG | Picolit |
| Ramandolo | DOCG | Verduzzo Friulano |
| Rosazzo | DOCG | Friulano, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Bianco, Chardonnay |
| Carso | DOC | Terrano, Vitovska |
| Collio | DOC | Friulano, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Merlot |
| Friuli | DOC | Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Friulano |
| Friuli Colli Orientali | DOC | Friulano, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Bianco, Refosco |
| Emilia-Romagna | ||
| Colli Bolognesi Pignoletto | DOCG | Pignoletto |
| Romagna Albana | DOCG | Albana |
| Colli Bolognesi | DOC | Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Lambrusco di Sorbara | DOC | Lambrusco |
| Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro | DOC | Lambrusco |
| Lambrusco Salamino di Santa Croce | DOC | Lambrusco |
| Modena | DOC | Lambrusco |
| Reggiano | DOC | Lambrusco |
| Romagna | DOC | Sangiovese, Trebbiano Romagnolo, Bombino Bianco (Pagadebit) |
| Toscana | ||
| Brunello di Montalcino | DOCG | Sangiovese |
| Carmignano | DOCG | Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc |
| Chianti | DOCG | Sangiovese |
| Chianti Classico | DOCG | Sangiovese |
| Elba Aleatico Passito | DOCG | Aleatico |
| Montecucco Sangiovese | DOCG | Sangiovese |
| Morellino di Scansano | DOCG | Sangiovese |
| Suvereto | DOCG | Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Syrah |
| Val di Cornia Rosso | DOCG | Sangiovese, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Vernaccia di San Gimignano | DOCG | Vernaccia |
| Vino Nobile di Montepulciano | DOCG | Sangiovese (Prugnolo Gentile) |
| Bolgheri | DOC | Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Syrah |
| Bolgheri Sassicaia | DOC | Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc |
| Maremma Toscana | DOC | Sangiovese, Vermentino, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot |
| Rosso di Montalcino | DOC | Sangiovese |
| Rosso di Montepulciano | DOC | Sangiovese (Prugnolo Gentile) |
| Vin Santo del Chianti | DOC | Trebbiano, Malvasia, Sangiovese |
| Vin Santo del Chianti Classico | DOC | Trebbiano, Malvasia, Sangiovese |
| Vin Santo di Montepulciano | DOC | Grechetto (Pulcinculo), Malvasia Bianca, Trebbiano Toscano, Sangiovese |
| Umbria | ||
| Montefalco Sagrantino | DOCG | Sagrantino |
| Torgiano Rosso Riserva | DOCG | Sangiovese |
| Lago di Corbara | DOC | Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Nero, Sangiovese |
| Orvieto | DOC | Grechetto, Trebbiano |
| Marche | ||
| Castelli di Jesi Verdicchio Riserva | DOCG | Verdicchio |
| Offida | DOCG | Montepulciano, Pecorino, Passerina |
| Rosso Cònero | DOCG | Montepulciano |
| Verdicchio di Matelica Riserva | DOCG | Verdicchio |
| Vernaccia di Serrapetrona | DOCG | Vernaccia |
| Cònero | DOC | Montepulciano |
| Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi | DOC | Verdicchio |
| Verdicchio di Matelica | DOC | Verdicchio |
| Lazio | ||
| Cannellino di Frascati | DOCG | Malvasia |
| Cesanese del Piglio | DOCG | Cesanese |
| Frascati Superiore | DOCG | Malvasia |
| Castelli Romani | DOC | Malvasia, Trebbiano, Sangiovese, Montepulciano |
| Frascati | DOC | Malvasia, Trebbiano |
| Abruzzo | ||
| Colline Teramane Montepulciano d’Abruzzo | DOCG | Montepulciano |
| Terre Tollesi | DOCG | Montepulciano, Pecorino, Passerina, Trebbiano |
| Montepulciano d’Abruzzo | DOC | Montepulciano |
| Molise | ||
| Molise | DOC | Tintilia, Falanghina, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Campania | ||
| Aglianico del Taburno | DOCG | Aglianico |
| Fiano di Avellino | DOCG | Fiano |
| Greco di Tufo | DOCG | Greco |
| Taurasi | DOCG | Aglianico |
| Costa d’Amalfi | DOC | Falanghina, Piedirosso, Aglianico |
| Falanghina del Sannio | DOC | Falanghina |
| Falerno del Massico | DOC | Aglianico, Piedirosso, Primitivo, Falanghina |
| Irpinia | DOC | Fiano, Greco, Aglianico |
| Sannio | DOC | Falanghina, Aglianico, Sangiovese, Coda di Volpe |
| Vesuvio | DOC | Coda di Volpe, Piedirosso |
| Puglia | ||
| Castel del Monte Bombino Nero | DOCG | Bombino Nero |
| Castel del Monte Nero di Troia Riserva | DOCG | Nero di Troia |
| Castel del Monte Rosso Riserva | DOCG | Nero di Troia, Aglianico, Montepulciano |
| Primitivo di Manduria Dolce Naturale | DOCG | Primitivo |
| Brindisi | DOC | Negroamaro, Malvasia Nera, Sangiovese |
| Primitivo di Manduria | DOC | Primitivo |
| Salice Salentino | DOC | Negroamaro, Malvasia Nera, Chardonnay |
| Basilicata | ||
| Aglianico del Vulture Superiore | DOCG | Aglianico |
| Aglianico del Vulture | DOC | Aglianico |
| Calabria | ||
| Cirò Classico | DOCG | Gaglioppo, Magliocco, Greco |
| Cirò | DOC | Gaglioppo, Greco |
| Sicilia | ||
| Cerasuolo di Vittoria | DOCG | Nero d’Avola, Frappato |
| Alcamo | DOC | Catarratto, Nero d’Avola, Sauvignon Blanc |
| Etna | DOC | Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappuccio, Carricante |
| Faro | DOC | Nerello Mascalese, Nocera |
| Marsala | DOC | Grillo, Inzolia, Catarratto, Perricone |
| Pantelleria | DOC | Zibibbo (Muscat of Alexandria) |
| Sicilia | DOC | Grillo, Nero d’Avola |
| Sardegna | ||
| Vermentino di Gallura | DOCG | Vermentino |
| Cannonau di Sardegna | DOC | Cannonau (Grenache) |
| Carignano del Sulcis | DOC | Carignano |
| Vermentino di Sardegna | DOC | Vermentino |
Hopefully this index is useful on its own. To explore these regions interactively, with every boundary on real terrain and a full profile for each, start a 15-day free trial. To see what one of these maps is like first, a different map is unlocked for everyone every day. For ready-made views of the same appellations, see the Italy Fast Map and the Northern, Central and Southern Italy 3D maps; the Map Maker Guide walks through every tool.
Italy Map Maker: Frequently Asked Questions
How is the Map Maker different from the Italy Fast Map?
The Fast Map draws all 409 appellations at once with a profile a click away. The Map Maker gives you the same appellations as layers you choose from, DOCGs only, one third of the country, or the nested appellations without their overarching parents, over a basemap you pick, flat or in 3D, with your own pins and notes on top and a Save button for the result.
Can I show only the DOCGs?
Yes. The DOCG-only layer draws the 77 and leaves the 332 DOCs off, which turns a crowded national map into something readable: the Piedmont cluster around Barolo and Barbaresco, the Tuscan chain from Chianti to Montalcino and Montepulciano, the Veneto’s Prosecco and Amarone zones, and the handful in the south. The DOC-only layer does the reverse, and the north, centre and south layers cut either view down to a third of the country.
What do the overarching and nested layers mean?
Overarching appellations are the wide ones that other appellations sit inside, such as the Prosecco DOC around Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG or Sicilia DOC around Etna. Nested appellations are the smaller ones inside them. Loading the nested layer alone shows the small zones without their parents covering them, and the overarching layer alone gives the regional picture; the primary layer is a curated set of the 137 best-known appellations for a quick overview.
Can I download the map I build?
Yes. Save captures the current view, sketches and labels included, as an image you can drop into slides, a handout or a study sheet. Untick “Include Legend” for a cleaner export. Sketching works in 2D, so build annotated views flat and switch to 3D for terrain shots. The Map Maker Guide walks through each tool.
Is the Italy Map Maker free?
The region index on this page is free to use. The Map Maker itself, with its layers, tools and a full profile for every region, is part of SommGeo membership, which starts with a free 15-day trial. If you want a feel for what one of these maps is like before signing up, SommGeo unlocks one map every day on a rotation, different every day, no signup needed. Today’s unlocked map is on the home page.
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