Salu2food(Home) Wine Regions Old World Italy
CENTRAL EAST ITALY
Central Italy East
This long area comprises the regions of Emilia-Romagna, the Marches, theAbruzzi and Molise. The best wines come from the Marches and the Abruzzibut Emilia-Romagna's Lambrusco is exported in vast quantities.
IF THIS REGION, WHICH EXTENDS ACROSS almost the entire width of northernItaly into Piedmont, appears geographically to wander off its central-eastdesignation, it certainly does not topographically, for every hectare lieseast of the Apennines on initially hilly ground that flattens out into alluvialplains that stretch towards the Adriatic.
EMILIA-ROMAGNA
Emilia-Romagna is protected on its western flank by the Apennines, fromwhich seven major and many minor rivers rise. The rich soil results in abundantproduction of grapes, the three most prolific varieties being Lambrusco,Trebbiano and Albana, which produces rustic white wines that have, unaccountablebeen given Italy's first DOCG for a white wine. Emilia-Romagna does, however,have some genuinely outstanding wines.
THE ABRUZZI (ABRUZZO)
The Abruzzi has only one fine wine - Montepulciano d'Abruzzo - but its hillsoffer such a range of microclimates and soils that it should be capableof producing a variety of them. But wine makers are conservative here andonly one producer, Santoro Corella, is experimenting with different varieties.
THE MARCHES (MARCHE)
Tourism has been a factor in the success of the Marches's wines. This hillyregion has a beautiful Adriatic coastline where holidaymakers quench theirthirst with the local white - the pale, dry Verdicchio. There are, howevermore exciting wines to be found in the exceptionally fine DOCs of RossoConero and Rosso Piceno and, in a few isolated circumstances, Sangiovesedei Colli Pesaresi together with excellent Vini da Tavola such as Rossodi Corinaldo and Tristo di Montesecco.
MOLISE
This is a poor region with high unemployment and a badly equipped wine industryUntil
1963 it was combined with the Abruzzi and did not gain its first DOC until1983. The Italian wine
expert Burton Anderson believes that it may one day provide wines of realclass, but, if greater potential does exist, it will take substantial investmentto exploit it.