Welcome to the World, Cirò Classico DOCG!

Map of Calabria via Federdoc. The new Cirò Classico DOCG will encompass the coastal areas of the Cirò DOC (#2)

Wine students of the world, heads up! Italy has officially announced a new Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita: Cirò Classico DOCG! The application for this appellation has been in the works for about three years, and on July 18 (2025), the EU made it official.

This is Italy’s 78^th DOCG wine to date, and the first for the region of Calabria. Cirò Classico DOCG is, in effect a well-aged and tightly regulated version of the red wines of the Cirò DOC hailing from that appellation’s most historic (Classico) vineyards.

Cirò Classico DOCG is approved for dry red wines only. According to the standards of production, it must appear “ruby red in color, with a tendency to turn garnet with age.” Aromas should be “intense and complex, with aromas of red fruit,” while the flavor should be “dry, full-bodied, harmonious, and lingering.”

• Other production standards for Cirò Classico DOCG include the following:
  • Vineyard Area: limited to the municipalities of Cirò and Cirò Marina, located along the coastal hills bordering the Ionian Sea
  • Grape varieties: minimum 90% Gaglioppo; up to 10% Magliocco and/or Greco Nero
  • Minimum alcohol by volume: 13%
  • Aging: The wine must be aged for a minimum of 36 months before being released to distribution; this age is to be calculated beginning on January 1 of the year following the harvest. Of the total aging period, a minimum of 6 months must occur in wood.
  • Production, aging, and bottling must occur within the designated production zone.

Welcome to the world, Cirò Classico DOCG! We can’t wait to find a bottle!

References/for more information:

• Disciplinare Ciro Classico DOCG In Italian
• EU Council Implementing Decision-Ciro Classicox
• Proposal to the EU-Ciro Classico DOCG
• Calabria, via Federdoc

Post authored by Jane A. Nickles…your blog administrator: jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org