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Italian Wine Regions Map

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Wine is massively important for Italy. The country is said to be the second largest wine producer in the world and boasts a myriad of winemaking regions, each producing a diverse array of wines. With reports of 900,000 registered vineyards (enough for one vineyard for every seven people) and more native grapes than any other wine country, any newcomer to the wine-world would be forgiven for getting a little overwhelmed when choosing Italian wine. But don't let that turn you off. In this article we examine the key Italian wine making regions, to help you get started.

Northern Italy

The North West of Italy is made up of four key regions, Piemonte, Valle d'Aosta, Lombardy and Liguria. Piemonte is arguably the most important region when it comes to Italian wine production. The best-known wines come from Barolo and Barbaresco. These are full-bodied, Italian red wines, both of which are made from the Nebbiolo grape. Barolo, in particular, is a wine that takes well to ageing. Still in Piemonte, you will come across cheaper red wines made from the Barbera and Dolcetto grapes. If you prefer white wine, look out for the Cortese grape from Gavi, or Asti, an off-dry sparkling Italian wine made from Muscat. From Valle d'Aosta you will come across a number of indigenous grapes, including Petit Rouge and Picotendro, a local version of the Nebbiolo grape.

In the North East, the key Italian wine making region is Veneto. Here you will come across Valpolicella, which is home to range of red wines that vary quite considerably in style from light, everyday drinking wines through to fuller bodied wines. These are made from a blend of grapes but principally Corvina. Also from Veneto comes Prosecco. This dry sparkling Italian wine is often goes down well with drinkers looking for an alternative to Champagne. Neighbouring Soave, also situated in the North East, produces a nice Italian white wine made from the Garganega and Trebbiano grapes.

Central Italy

The largest and most significant Italian wine producing area is central Italy is Tuscany. Chianti is the main export from this region and produces a medium bodied red blend, made predominantly from the Sangiovese grape. Outside of this area but still in Tuscany are Montalcino and Montepulciano, which also produce Italian red wines from the Sangiovese grape.

Staying in central Italy, you will come across the well-known Lambrusco from Emilia Romagna, Frascati from Latium and the Verdicchio grape, a medium bodied dry Italian white wine, from the region with the same name.

Southern Italy

The quantity, and arguably the quality, of Italian wines produced in the south have increased in recent years. Typically the region produces red wines which are deep, rich, intense and offer good value for money. Puglia, in particular, offers some wines of interest. Sicily also produces some high quality wines from international grape varieties, as well as the fortified wine Marsala.

This is just a brief introduction to the wines from this country.

Italian Wine Regions Map

Piedmont is located in the northwest of Italy. It borders on France and Switzerland and is surrounded on three sides by the Alps. The name Piedmont means the foot of the mountain. Piedmont is one of the most industrialized regions of Italy. It is considered the best organized region of Italy for wine tourism. Its population is about 4.4 million.

Piedmont was originally settled by the Celts. It was conquered by Hannibal and reconquered by the Ancient Romans. Piedmont was ruled by the French Savoy family for almost five hundred years. It was a center in the fight to unify Italy. Victor Emmanuel II, the king of Piedmont and Sardinia, became the first king of modern Italy in 1861.

Agriculturally Piedmont has it all. For example, meats include beef, kid, lamb, rabbit, and veal. Game includes hare, partridge, pheasant, and venison. Donkey meat stew is a local specialty. Another specialty is grissini, breadsticks that are a yard long. The region makes nine protected varieties of cheese. About the only food that seems to be a bit short is fresh fish, with the exception of trout.

Piedmont's capital and largest city is Turin, a city of nine hundred thousand that is the capital of the Italian automobile industry and the site of the 2006 Winter Olympics. This city was the first capital of united Italy (from 1861 to 1865) and remains to this day the world capital of vermouth.

Piedmont devotes over one hundred forty thousand acres to grapevines, it ranks 6th among the 20 Italian regions. Its total annual wine production is about ninety million gallons, also giving it a 6th place. About 70% of the wine production is red or ros? (only a bit of ros?), leaving 30% for white. The region produces 44 DOC wines. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine and 7 DOCG wines. The G in DOCG stands for Garantita, but there is in fact no guarantee that such wines are truly superior Almost 56% of Piedmont wine carries the DOC or DOCG designation. Piedmont is home to four dozen major and secondary grape varieties, somewhat more red than white varieties.

Widely grown international white grape varieties include Muscat (in particular Moscato Bianco) and Chardonnay. The best known strictly Italian white varieties are Arneis, Cortese, and Erbaluce.

International red grape varieties are not important in Piedmont. It is the center for Nebbiolo, felt by many to be Italy's noblest red variety, the base of Italy's world famous Barolo and Barbaresco wines. Other Italian red varieties include Barbera, Brachetto, and Dolcetto, some of which are grown elsewhere.

Before reviewing the Piedmont wine and cheese that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region.

Start with Cipollata Rossa Monferrina, Spicy Robiola Cheese and Scallion Spread.

For the second course try Tasca Ripiena, Veal Stuffed with Salami and Scallions. For dessert indulge yourself with Budino Freddo Gianduja, Decadent Hazelnut-Chocolate Pudding.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY While we have communicated with well over a thousand Italian wine producers and merchants to help prepare these articles, our policy is clear. All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed

Sur? Rosso Barbera d'Asti Villa Giada 2004 Andrea-Faccio Viticoltore (Winemaker) DOC 13.5% alcohol about $10.90 plus tax

Unlike the other wines in this series, I purchased this bottle while on vacation in Seattle, Washington. Frankly I thought that I was drinking the cousin of a $40 bottle of wine. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if it were the equal of some $40 bottles. While three other Italian grape red varieties are authorized to a maximum of 15% in the Barbera d'Asti DOC, this particular wine is 100% Barbera.

I found the wine very powerful, perhaps too strong for pasta. Its tastes included tobacco, leather, cherry, and black cherry. An Italian wine site states: "An imposing wine that is always rather severe but richly and exquisitely perfumed and with a flavor that couples strength with finesse.? I agree except that I didn't find it severe. I also drank it with a marinated, barbecued rib steak. The wine cut through the steak's grease. Once again the flavors came out well.

Gran Padano is a classic Parmesan-type cheese made for a millennium in northern Italy including the Piedmont region. It is a cylindrical, cooked, semi-fat cheese which matures slowly. It has a grainy consistency and may be sliced or grated. Its taste is fragrant and delicate. I tried this wine with grated Gran Padano cheese on toast with a somewhat spicy Moroccan tomato and pimento based dip.The combination was excellent; I felt that both the wine and cheese flavors were accentuated. The term mouth-filling came to mind.

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About Author

Both Louise Truswell & Levi Reiss are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Louise Truswell has sinced written about articles on various topics from Acne Treatment, Wine and Spirits and Food and Drink. . Louise Truswell's top article generates over 33100 views. Bookmark Louise Truswell to your Favourites.

Levi Reiss has sinced written about articles on various topics from Touring Italy, Travel and Leisure and Food and Drink. Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine Italian or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language communit. Levi Reiss's top article generates over 450000 views. Bookmark Levi Reiss to your Favourites.

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