Lombardy is one of the largest and most densely populated regions of Italy. But in terms of wine really you can select only three to represent its local style: red Valtellina (Valtellina), a sparkling Franciacorta (Franciacorta) and Oltrepò Pavese Metodo Classico (Oltrepo Pavese Metodo Classico).
The main part of the wine produced in the Lombardy region under a less known DOCами and various local IGT.
Features a wine of the Lombardy region
Being in the heart of Northern Italy, Lombardy, surrounded on all sides by land: on the West – Piedmont, to the South, Emilia-Romagna, in the East Veneto and the North – the mighty Central Alps and the Swiss region of Ticino (Ticino).
And yet, Lombardy, is not without the cooling effect of large bodies of water: lakes Como, Iseo, Maggiore and Garda dominate its Northern part. And this is manifested not only in attracting crowds of tourists admire the scenery – the lake smooth mesoclimate of the respective wine-growing areas.
Iseo lake in Lombardy
The softening effect of the lakes is particularly valuable in the higher and cooler parts of the region. A great example of Valtellina, surrounded by the Central Alps, and the Franciacorta vineyards on the slopes on the South side of lake Iseo.
Below the map – in the South and East of the area – the landscape largely represented low hills and plains. Of the most significant areas of the plains of Lombardy can distinguish lying in the basin of the river Po: Oltrepò Pavese, Mantovano (Mantovano) and San Colombano al Lambro (San Colombano al Lambro).
The location of Lombardy between the Alps and the river basin determines the impressive variation in the climatic conditions of its terroirs. For example, the vineyards of Valtellina are located at the altitude from 230 m to 765 m and are cooled by Alpine breezes blowing from East to West towards the valley. Here, thanks to the Alpine continental climate, high daily temperature range: the sun-baked slopes lose heat rapidly after sunset. This is very different from the situation in the bottom lying plains, where the climate is more equable, and the average humidity level and temperature is higher.
Lombardy is an industrial locomotive of Italy, and the capital of the region of Milan is the second largest city in the country. And despite this, there remain huge areas of unspoilt countryside, giving home to many small wineries that make a significant contribution to regional annual production of wine amounting to one and a half million hectoliters.
Wines Of Lombardy
Large and geographically variegated region Lombardy, due to its location, is able to offer a wide range of wine styles.
Only here there are 5 zones of DOCG and 20 DOC zones.
Oltrepò Pavese stands alone in their row, as one of the largest and most famous. First, its sparkling Oltrepo Pavese Metodo Classico DOCG. But lately even local wines from Pinot Grigio, which since 2008 have been allocated your own DOC Oltrepo Pavese Pinot Grigio.
Franciacorta – one of the two denominational sparkling wines DOCG in Lombardy. It appreciate the vineyards are located in rapidly developing areas between Brescia and lake Iseo.
Remote Alpine subregion Valtellina is represented by two class DOCG wines: Valtellina Superiore and the distinctive wine made from slightly dried grapes in the Amarone style – Sforzato di Valtellina, based on the sort of chiavennasca, the local Piedmontese variety Nebbiolo.
The label of the wine Valtellina Superiore
In the East, the Western coast of lake Garda creates special conditions for the birth of wines of Garda and Lambrusco Mantovano, in red, the samples of which are noticeably present grade Rondinella, famous for the Valpolicella wines.
In Eastern Lombardy and throughout Italy, more attention is paid to the recognizable world bestsellers – the Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Although white varieties Trebbiano and garganega fails to hold the position (but at the expense of natives, as Schiavo and Marzemino).
To the South of lake Garda, Lugana DOC is a star among the wines from Trebbiano. These vibrant and distinctive white wines from local varieties of grapes – Trebbiano di Lugana is a rare case when the wines from this variety are able to demonstrate at least some complexity and depth.
Today in Garda you can find a number of very good table wines, generally from varieties leading two “Bordeaux blend”. Their you will find on the slopes of the Bergamo, priapism of Valicaia (Valcepio), where they come on the heels of the French favorites – Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
On the southern edge of the region, the waters of the Po river, in San Colombano make wine from traditional North Italian red varieties: croatina, Barbera and Uvar Ara.