Apulian wines under Crifo brand are 8 DOC, controlled designation of origin, 2 DOCG, controlled and guaranteed designation of origin, and 13 IGP, protected geographical indication. By certified wines, and authorized vines, it is meant a precise “specification”, that establishes guidelines for the production in a certain area, defined at regional or more often local level, with grapes of particular varieties used in predefined percentage.
Only by following these rules can a wine have in the label the mention DOC, DOCG and IGP. Generally speaking DOP, DOCG and IGP are indications for export. Cantina di Ruvo di Puglia cultivates several of them, five of which are autochthonous. With these are made Castel del Monte DOP, Castel del Monte DOCG and Puglia IGP wines. The first are grown from authorized vines, located in a large area around the historic Castle of Frederick.
The production Procedural Guideline of Castel del Monte DOC is characterized by a long list of types, depending on the name given to the type of authorized vine.
In particular there are 8 Castel del Monte DOP labels among Crifo’s range of products: red, white and rosé wines.
The grape varieties used for the production are
- Nero di Troia and Montepulciano for Grifone Castel del Monte DOP Rosso
- Pampanuto (also known as Verdeca) and Bombino Bianco for Grifone Castel del Monte DOP Bianco
- Nero di Troia and other authochtonous grape varieties for Terre del Crifo Dop Rosso
- Bombino Nero single variety for Grifone Castel del Monte DOP Rosè
- Bombino Bianco for Terre del Crifo Castel del Monte DOP Bombino Bianco
Regarding DOCG, Crifo produces both Castel del Monte Nero di Troia Riserva DOCG and Castel del Monte Bombino Nero DOCG, that take their names from the grape varieties Nero di Troia and Bombino Nero.
The wines produced are 100% Augustale Castel del Monte Nero di Troia Riserva DOCG and 100% Augustale Castel del Monte Bombino Nero DOCG.
Under the Puglia IGP denomination are produced Crifo white wines, also sparkling and late harvest; reds, also drying; rosé wines, also sparkling.
The vines used for the production are:
- Nero di Troia single variety for
- Terre del Crifo Nero di Troia Puglia IGP
- Grifone Nero di Troia Puglia IGP
- Two three-liter Bag in Tubes, “black” and “orange”, Puglia IGP
- Squarcione Appassimento Puglia IGP
- Bombino Bianco for Grifone Bombino Bianco Puglia IGP (also in Bag in Tube format)
- Moscatello Selvatico for Bellagriffi Moscatello Selvatico Puglia IGP e Moscatello Selvatico late harvest
- Verdeca (or Pampanuto) for Terre del Crifo Verdeca Puglia IGP
- Moscato single variety for Cryfus Sixty Moscato Sweet Sparkling Wine Puglia IGP
- Fiano single variety for Le Matine Fiano Puglia IGP
- Malvasia Bianca single variety for Grifone Malvasia Bianca Puglia Igp.
- Primitivo single variety for Primitivo Puglia Igp Le Carrare.