Italy Part II: Central Italy

Contents

  1. The Grapes and Grape Families of Central Italy
  2. Tuscany
  3. Umbria
  4. Emilia-Romagna
  5. The Marche
  6. Lazio
  7. Bibliography

Central Italy comprises the heart of the Italian Peninsula, both geographically and historically. Lazio, which houses the capital at Rome, roughly corresponds to the ancient Roman city, while Tuscany equates generally to the older Etruria. Millennia later, Tuscany grew to become a major economic power in Italy, first as the Republics of Florence and Siena and later as the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. Before the Risorgimento, much of the rest of centraI Italy was made up of the Papal States, under direct rule of the pope and the Vatican. This guide will consider five regions as central Italy: Tuscany, Umbria, Emilia-Romagna, the Marche, and Lazio. 

Central Italy begins south of the Po River basin, and, like much of the country, is defined by the Apennine Mountains at its center. Its climate is varied by not only latitude but, importantly, elevation, with many of the top wines coming from higher sites. With Tuscany, central Italy serves as a powerful driver of the Italian wine industry, home to many of the countrys largest and oldest winemaking families, such as the Antinoris and the Frescobaldis. The initial sparks of Italys 20th-century winemaking revolution were lit here, with the first bottling of Sassicaia in 1968 and the Super Tuscans that followed. 

Today, central Italy is no less dynamic. Italys most planted grape variety, Sangiovese, achieves its finest expressions in Chianti Classico and Montalcino. Nearby, in Umbria, Sagrantino has been reimagined for the production of dry red wines. Further north, Emilia-Romagna cultivates the best-known appellations worldwide for sparkling red wine with its various Lambruscos. White wine, too, finds prominence in central Italy, notably in the bottlings of Orvieto, the Malvasia blends of Lazio, and the Verdicchio wines of the Marche. In addition, winegrowers throughout central Italy continue

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  • A minor update to the language on Bolgheri DOC assemblage for white wines: It looks like the disciplinare was updated in 2021 to allow any amount of Vermentino, Sauvignon Blanc, and/or Viognier, with up to 40% other authorized white grapes.

  • Hey Michael! This is confirmed and the guide is updated. Thanks! 

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  • Hey Michael! This is confirmed and the guide is updated. Thanks! 

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