Wine

Regions

Old World

Italy

CENTRAL EAST ITALY

Prodution Table

Central Italy East

This long area comprises the regions of Emilia-Romagna, the Marches, the Abruzzi and Molise. The best wines come from the Marches and the Abruzzi but Emilia-Romagna's Lambrusco is exported in vast quantities.

IF THIS REGION, WHICH EXTENDS ACROSS almost the entire width of northern Italy into Piedmont, appears geographically to wander off its central-east designation, it certainly does not topographically, for every hectare lies east of the Apennines on initially hilly ground that flattens out into alluvial plains that stretch towards the Adriatic.

EMILIA-ROMAGNA

Emilia-Romagna is protected on its western flank by the Apennines, from which seven major and many minor rivers rise. The rich soil results in abundant production of grapes, the three most prolific varieties being Lambrusco, Trebbiano and Albana, which produces rustic white wines that have, unaccountable been 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 hills offer such a range of microclimates and soils that it should be capable of producing a variety of them. But wine makers are conservative here and only 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 hilly region has a beautiful Adriatic coastline where holidaymakers quench their thirst with the local white - the pale, dry Verdicchio. There are, however more exciting wines to be found in the exceptionally fine DOCs of Rosso Conero and Rosso Piceno and, in a few isolated circumstances, Sangiovese dei Colli Pesaresi together with excellent Vini da Tavola such as Rosso di Corinaldo and Tristo di Montesecco.

MOLISE

This is a poor region with high unemployment and a badly equipped wine industry Until
1963 it was combined with the Abruzzi and did not gain its first DOC until 1983. The Italian wine
expert Burton Anderson believes that it may one day provide wines of real class, but, if greater potential does exist, it will take substantial investment to exploit it.