To change the regulations and make Orvieto DOC a great option for those seeking a low-alcohol wine, several key figures have taken action: Pier Paolo Chiasso (Chiasso Cotarella), Paolo Nardo (Gruppo Italiano Vini), and Massimiliano Pasquini (Castello della Sala – Marchesi Antinori), supported by producer Enzo Barbi (Decugnano dei Barbi), a longtime interpreter of the DOC and a key figure in the region’s renewal. They are joined by Riccardo Cotarella, who chairs the Umbrian denomination’s Technical-Scientific Commission.
It all begins with the final approval of the new regulations by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty, and Forestry (MASAF): it will now be possible to produce Orvieto DOC with a minimum alcohol content of 10%. The standard amendment has already been published in the Official Journal of the Italian Republic (No. 111 of May 15, 2025) and is awaiting final formal approval at the EU level, which will confirm its full effectiveness.
The first two low-alcohol wines (2024 vintage) – 10 and 10.5% ABV – were produced by two consortium members and are currently on the market. Production will continue with the 2025 harvest, a sign that the project has already yielded tangible results, both in terms of quality and sales. This new option represents a concrete response to the changing climate, consumption, and markets.
The group of winemakers recently presented the new samples to the members of the Consorzio Tutela Vini di Orvieto; members were able to blind taste the two new wines, already bottled, and found them to have a surprising aromatic and flavor balance, combined with a well-preserved territorial identity. Consortium President Vincenzo Cecci commented: “Climate adaptation gives rise to a valuable idea. With the modification to the regulations and the actual release of the first low-alcohol Orvieto DOC wines, we are offering the market a real response: more modern, lighter wines, yet deeply rooted in our territory.“
Riccardo Cotarella emphasized the innovative nature of the operation: “This result demonstrates that a wine can retain its identity and quality even with a lower alcohol content. We are the first in Italy to take this step in the PDO sector, and we are doing so with consistency and technical awareness.“
For the three winemakers – Paolo Nardo, Massimiliano Pasquini, and Pier Paolo Chiasso –: “Today we are taking an important step for Orvieto, a step that looks forward without forgetting its roots. This new 10% ABV typology is the result of carefully listening to the signals coming from the territory, the climate, and consumers. We live in an era in which freshness, drinkability, and lightness are increasingly in demand, but without ever sacrificing quality and identity. We have worked to create an Orvieto capable of expressing the richness of our grapes and our terroir, in a more modern and versatile version.
It’s not a matter of replacing Orvieto Classico or Superiore, but of offering a new option, designed for young people, summer bars, aperitifs, and those seeking balanced, easy-drinking wines with personality. It’s a technical and cultural challenge: maintaining elegance, structure, and flavor in a wine with just 10% alcohol. To achieve this, we have experimented with every stage of production, from grape selection to early harvesting, to vinification with selected yeasts and low temperatures.The result? A wine light in alcohol content, yet rich in quality, ready to speak to the market and new needs with an authentic and contemporary language. This is just the beginning. We have launched a shared path, involving producers, technicians, restaurateurs, and communicators. Orvieto DOC can and must be a laboratory of innovation, capable of interpreting change with courage, responsibility, and respect for its history”.
