Lombardy

Lombardia is the heart of northern Italy.  It is positioned directly
below Switzerland sharing a border with Piedmont to the west.   Emilia
Romagna lays to the south while Veneto and Trentino Alto Adige border
it to the east.  The capital is Milano, known to the rest of the world
as Milan a world leader in high fashion and the first Italian city to
enter the stock market.

Like many Italian regions Lombardia has had a tumultuous past full of
leaders.  Between the fifth and fourth centuries the Celtics inhabited
B.C. Lombardia.  Immediately after this the Gauls won the area and
populated the region until the Roman Conquest in the third century
B.C.  Throughout the third century B.C. the area was known as Gallia
Cisalpina and was a major base for the Romans.  After the fall of the
Roman Empire the Goths took over but were quickly succeeded by the
Langbärte (long beards) Lombard’s who gave their name to the region,
as we know it today.  Afterward the French seized control and ruled
over the region for many years.  In the mid eighteenth century the
Austrian’s claimed power over the northeast of Italy: Veneto, Friuli,
Trentino Alto Adige, and Lombardia all fell under there control.
Thus, it wasn’t until the Second World War that Italy finally ruled
over Lombardia occupying it in 1859.

Of course besides high fashion and wine Lombardia is known for its
regional cuisine. The claim to fame in Lombardia is rice, rice and
more rice.  You will find rice cooked in many different fashions
including the traditional rissoto Milanese served with Osso Bucco.  Of
course you will also find plenty of pasta in Lombardy.  The region can
claim major fame for being the birthplace of ravioli.  Also frogs,
snails, tiny fish called alborelle, and crayfish are quite common as
is minestrone, casoeula, and fritto misto.    Bresaola (air dried
beef) and violin (smoked goat prosciutto) are found widely in
Valtellina.  And, never one to leave out dessert Panettone, a
fruitcake that is traditionally served around Christmas, is said to be
quite delicious.

On to the wine!
Franciacorta DOCG creates the most popular wine Lombardia has to offer
and it has certainly earned this distinction.  With healthy mineral
rich soils that are made up of ancient glacier deposits sand and limestone, and perfect temperatures to ripen hard to grow grapes
Franciocorta is an ideal area for wine making.  Franciacorta started
out in the 1960’s when it was attempting to make a wine in the same
Methodo Classico as Champagne.

The grapes:
Chardonnay
Pinot Bianco
Pinot Nero
Some aging requirements to Franciacorta, non-vintage spend 25 months aging and 18 of those months in bottle with yeasts.  For a vintage Fracniacorta a total of 37 months aging, 30 months in bottle with yeast.

Valtellina Superiore:  This DOCG is a strip of vineyards located on
the North bank of the Adda River right near the Swiss boarder.  What
grows here is predominantly Nebbiolo (also known as Chiavennasca).
This area consists of 4 subzones, which are, in order from west to
east: Sassella, Grumello, Inferno, Valegella.  Unlike it's big brother to the west, the Nebbiolo gown in Valetllina takes on a much softer character, lighter bodied, and have less tannin.  This is due to the more gentile maceration process that takes place.

Sassella:  With a name that translates to “studded with stones”, this
vineyard is considered to be the rockiest.   Rocks collect heat and so
Sassella is the first to be harvested as the grapes are in constant
danger of the grapes over ripening due to the intense heat.  Sassella
is the second largest of the four vineyards.

Grumello:  Just east of Sassella and Sondrio.  The terraces of
Grumello are the least steep of all the other vineyards with larger
patches of land.  The soils here have less rock and are softer and
easier to grow in creating richer, more fruit driven wines.

Inferno:  The smallest and steepest of all the vineyards.  As it’s
name implies it is hot as hell in Inferno.   Inferno is located east
of Grumello and is south facing with great and long exposure to the
sun, making this a prime location for the fussy Nebbiolo grape to
ripen properly.  This gives the wines created here the most structure
and color.

Valgella:  This vineyard is largest, located the most east in
comparison to the other vineyards, and has the highest altitude out of
all the other sub zones.  Because of these factors Valgella is the
last vineyard to be harvest by as much as two weeks.  The high
altitude creates a cooler climate resulting in a lighter more delicate
wine with more perfume, and red fruit notes.


Maroggia:  This area has just gained it's recognition two years ago.

Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG:  This style of wine is made all over the
Valtellina area with the use of dried grapes similar to that of an
Amarone.  They harvest the grapes of Nebbiolo then dry them on straw
mats for three to four months.  The grapes (or more precisely raisins)
are then pressed and aged in barrel.  Sforzato must maintain an
alcohol percentage of 14.5.

Stagafassli:  You might see this on some labels, what this means is that the grapes are bought from Valtellina vineyards brought over to Switzerland and made into wine.  This can be a blend of all the vineyards or single vineyards.

Oltrepò Pavese DOC:  Oltrepo Pavese is most known for the abundance of
Pinot noir grapes grown there.  This designation in particular is most
commonly known for the significant amount of bulk wine that is made
here and sold in Milan.