No other country can match the variety of wines produced in Italy
If you buy into the notion that ‘variety is the spice of life’, then you won’t be disappointed with Italy; You certainly won’t be limited when it comes to Italian ‘wine tasting’ or ‘wine touring’. In fact, you’re likely to be troubled by quite the opposite problem, as with around 20 recognized wine regions with products ranging from hearty reds to sparkling Prosecco’s, and a culture that’s been producing wine for thousands of years, you’ll find it hard to decide where best to base yourself.
Italy not only produces and exports more wine than any other country, but it also offers the greatest variety – in regard to flavour, style and colour. Add to this Italy’s gastronomy and the opportunity to sample excellent local produce and ‘slow food’, against a background of rustic charm, stunning cities, a rich history and fantastic climate and you’d be hard pressed to pick a better destination for wine tourism.
Italian producers have improved techniques rapidly over the past century to create wines of extremely high quality. Many vineyards are situated in beautiful countryside and employ small scale or traditional farming methods; This is certainly the ethos of celebrity wine grower Sting, who is due to produce a red grown on his own estate in Figline Valdarno in Tuscany. Whilst the winery may not be open to the public, Sting’s 2007 vintage will be available on the shelves from late 2009.
Key wine regions in the north of the country are Piedmont, Lombardy, Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Emilia Romagna, Tuscany, Marche, Umbria and Lazio are leading central wine-producing destinations, whilst steamy southern vines are centred on Abruzzi, Molise, Puglia, Campania and Sicily.
Northern Veneto is one of the biggest names in Italian wine production, both in terms of quantity, quality and history. Internationally known labels from the region include Bardolino, from the shores of Lake Garda, Valpolicella, and Soave. Other high quality wines produced here are the white Bianco di Custoza, the excellent Prosecco, made primarily in the district of Valdobbiadene near the town of Conegliano, the Breganze, and Amarone – a rich red that certainly packs a punch.
The area around Verona, with its temperate climate and hilly surrounds, is believed to have been cultivated with vines since the Bronze Age. This makes it a particularly fitting destination for the very first Italian school for vine growing and oenology. In addition, Veneto can lay claim to the first Strada del Vino or ‘Wine Road’, featuring special signage providing route-followers with information on vines and wines.