Italy
Italian wine production is greatly differentiated thanks to the richness and the peculiarities of the different territories. Each area has an enological heritage able to tell the tradition, culture and territory that characterize it.
Tuscany
Tuscany represents one of the most important wine regions in the world and is one of the most representative areas for wine production in Italy. Vineyards are mainly distributed on hilly areas, particularly suited to viticulture both for climatic and geological reasons, and to a lesser extent on the plain.
The largest areas of wine production in Tuscany are Chianti, Maremma and the province of Siena, next to many other small areas with a high wine vocation. The constant trend towards specialization attests the importance of viticulture in Tuscany, which ranks in a top position in Italy for the production of DOC wines.
Abruzzo
The history of wine in Abruzzo has origins dating far back in time. From Ovidio to Polibio, in fact, there are many authentic testimonies of the existence of a wine tradition already in ancient times. Concentrated until the Renaissance in the province of L’Aquila, Abruzzo's viticulture experienced a phase of rapid transformation, especially in the period of unification.
Since the mid-twentieth century, the production of wine in Abruzzo has become increasingly specialized and concentrated in areas with a high wine-growing vocation, which thanks to good ventilation and wide temperature ranges between day and night, ensure an ideal microclimate for production of high quality grapes.
Calabria
The viticulture in Calabria has its roots in a distant past, dating back to the civilization of Magna Grecia. Indeed, it was the Greeks, who promoted the development of vine growing in this rich and heterogeneous region, recognizing in it a fertile territory for the production of wine.
The geographical conformation of Calabria, with a remarkable development of the coast and the mountainous inland, has meant that the cultivation of the vine was concentrated in 3 main areas: that of the Pollino massif, the Tyrrhenian and Ionian foothills of the Sila and the area of the Aspromonte.
Friuli Venezia Giulia
This is also due to the commitment of small and large producers who have managed to combine an ancient tradition with the most modern technologies in terms of wine production, constantly aiming at quality.
Not to underestimate the physical and geographical characteristics of the region, which alternates high plains with lands overlooking the Venetian lagoon, soft hills with majestic mountains, with a great variety of territories that give life to fine wines with unique characteristics.
Lazio
The viticulture in Lazio is found mainly in the hilly areas, with reference to two main production areas: the Castelli Romani, consisting of the hills that rise south-east of Rome, and the Viterbo area, also known by the ancient term of Tuscia. A common feature of the two areas is the highly volcanic soil.
Most part of the region's production is represented by white wines, generally still and characterized by good body and pleasantly fruity hints. Clean and accessible wines, which perfectly match the local gastronomic tradition.
Lombardy
Limited production in terms of quantity, but a great diversity of territories and wines. Here is what characterizes the winemaking reality of Lombardia, which presents very different productions due to a considerable heterogeneity of its geography, from the mountains to the hills, from the plains to the lakes.
Fromthe great reds of the Valtellina to the bubbles of Franciacorta and Oltrepò, Lombardia is home to national and less well-known appellations. National and international grapes coexist in this region, giving birth to oenological products more or less tied to the territory, but always united by a great quality.
Veneto
Veneto is a land of ancient winemaking traditions, which today boasts the primacy in Italy for the production of DOC wines. The wine production of the region qualifies not only through the largest and most diverse panorama of vineyards and wines, from whites to reds, from sparkling wines to raisin wines, but also thanks to a strong vocation for quality.
Most part of Veneto, due to its geography, is an area where excellent grapes are grown; the areas where the grapes are grown are located both in the plain, which is very rich in waterways, and on the hills, which have a mild climate and fertile soils.
Marche
Viticulture in the Marche begins with the arrival of the Syracusan Greeks and affirms itself with the Romans, thanks to whom the fame of Piceno wine spread throughout the empire. Always a land of excellences, this region ranks among the Italian areas with the highest wine-growing vocation, which is expressed through a plurality of wine expressions.
The influence of the Adriatic Sea which Marche looks onto and the natural barriers created by mountains, produce in this area rare and particular microclimates that give life to typical wines, with clear aromas, whose production is mainly entrusted to small wine-makers, where making wine is a tradition passed down from one generation to the next.
Piedmont
Land of oenological tradition since ancient times, Piemonte produces great wines on its hills and on the Alpine and pre-Alpine foothills. In these places, which are different due to the specific terroir and climate, the manual work of man is predominant and low yields per hectare are pursued to enhance the quality of the wines that come to life here.
From the refined and opulent reds to the round and aromatic whites, to the inviting and pleasant dessert wines, the diverse viticultural heritage of this region makes it an area of extraordinary excellences, appreciated throughout the world.
Apulia
A rich and fertile territory, dedicated to viticulture since the time of Greek civilization, Puglia enjoys a long winemaking tradition thanks to the climate conditions propitious for the vine-growing. The three main wine-growing areas of the region are the province of Foggia, Bari and Salento.
The apulian production, in terms of quantity, has always been among the main ones in Italy and, in recent years, an increasing attention has been paid to quality. For this reason, and thanks to its enormous wine-growing potential, Apulian wines gained fame not only nationally, but also all over the world.
Sardinia
Sardinia and viticulture, a thousand-year tradition that has its roots in the distant times of the Nuragics and which can be perceived in the many excellences produced in this area. The climate, the soil and the grapes of this region in fact give rise to wines of great quality, some robust and vigorous, others elegant and refined, depending on the environment in which they are produced.
The vineyards are an integral part of the Sardinian landscape, from the fertile plains near the sea to the hills and inland areas, where the winemaking activity is still tied to ancient traditions. That is precisely why Sardinian wines are always a full expression of the land where they are produced.
Sicily
For the climatic conditions, the mild temperatures, the countryside, the light sea breeze and the sun, Sicily has a perfect environment for vine-growing and wine production. The Sicilian vineyard is divided into three large districts: the western one of Trapani with the famous wines of Marsala, the north-eastern one with the wines of Etna and the southern one with the products of Ragusa.
With its wines, this region certifies its centuries-old vocation for viticulture, which has its roots in the time of the Greeks. Sicilian wine production is currently experiencing an important turning point: the enhancement of the island potential that has not yet been fully expressed.
Trentino
Trentino is a region where different climates and soils contribute to create exceptional wines. From Lake Garda to the terraces of the Valle di Cembra, Trentino winemakers produce unique wines with great care.
Thereare three native grapes: Nosiola from which an excellent vin santo is also obtained, Marzemino della Vallagarina and Teroldego della Piana Rotaliana. But in Trentino international grapes such as Müller-Thurgau are also glorified, from which fine white wines are obtained, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with which are produced great sparkling Trento Doc wines.
South Tyrol
Wine and tradition are inextricably linked in Alto Adige. In this area, viticulture has ancient origins and today's diversified wine production is supported by a centuries-old tradition.
This region, in fact, was well-known for its wines already in Roman times and even today the wine production leads the economy of the region, especially due to an environment that allows to put quality first, with a variety of grapes hard to find in other areas.
Umbria
Umbria, a small region that has always been identified as the green heart of Italy, is characterized by a limited quantity of wine production, but of excellent quality. Here the ancient rural traditions are still alive and give life to wines with a strong link with the centuries-old tradition and the territory.
Several archaeological finds testify that the Etruscans and Umbrians were already involved in viticulture, even before the arrival of the Romans. This long wine history is closely linked to the climatic and geographical characteristics of the region, which with its hills represents an ideal territory for the vine cultivation.
Basilicata
Basilicata has a thousand-year vocation for viticulture and wine production, with a past that dates back to the ancient times of the Enotri and Lucani. A long history that today intertwines tradition, culture and innovation, expressing all the potential of a terroir capable of giving great excellence.
Basilicata is in fact characterized by a limited production from a quantitative point of view, but offers very interesting ideas both as regards the local grapes and the quality of the wines produced. The 3 main wine production areas in this region are the Vulture area, the Matera area and the upper Val d'Agri.
Campania
Campania is a region with an ancient winemaking tradition, one of the first territories in the world to have witnessed the settlement, cultivation, study of the vine and the production of wine. The distribution of grapes, in fact, dates back to pre-Roman times, especially for a particularly favorable climate and the singular nature of the soil.
This region has a rich heritage of high quality grapes, which give life to a wide variety of wines, both white and red, including many excellences, well known and appreciated not only in Italy, but also abroad.
Emilia Romagna
The territory of Emilia Romagna is divided in two by the Via Emilia, which crosses it in all its length: on one side the Apennines, with their soft reliefs particularly suited to viticulture, on the other the plain, which descends towards the Po to the Adriatic coast.
Along the Via Emilia there are four production areas: the Colli di Piacenza and Parma, where Bonarda and Barbera prevail; the lands of Lambrusco, extended from the hills to the banks of the river Po between Reggio Emilia and Modena; the Colli Bolognesi and the lower valley of Reno, where traditional white wines are produced; finally Romagna, with Sangiovese, Albana and Trebbiano dominating the scene.
Aosta Valley
Valle d’Aosta boasts a thousand-year tradition of winemaking, thanks to a very fertile and varied territory. The richness of this region lies in the native grapes, produced only in these lands, and in the hands of expert winemakers and wine producers who cultivate them with passion and tenacity.
From the slopes of Mont Blanc to the vineyards of Monte Rosa, from Gran Paradiso to the Matterhorn, Valle d’Aosta is characterized by small plots interspersed with the rocks of the Alps. Each wine produced here embraces the essence and tradition of Valle d’Aosta, reflecting its colors, aromas and flavor.
Liguria
Liguria is one of the smallest wine-growing regions of Italy. Its geography, a narrow area sourrounded by the Alps, the Apennines and the sea, makes viticulture extremely difficult; at the same time, the mild climate that characterizes the hilly area of the near inland represents an extremely favorable condition for the cultivation of the vine.
For this reason, Liguria boasts a good tradition in the wine sector, positively influenced by the presence of the sea which, in addition to providing a unique character to the wines, has always favored their marketing and diffusion.
Molise
Molise is a small region with an absolutely unique geography. The viticulture, practiced both in the hills and in mountainous areas, has ancient origins that date back to the Samnites, even if it was the Romans who later extended the cultivation of the vine on larger territories.
Unspoiled landscapes, great potential and a tradition handed down from father to son: these are the three strengths of Molise wine production, which over time has managed to find its rightful place in the national wine scene, managing to fully express its identity and uniqueness.