Web Landing - Lombardy

Lombardy

Fly direct into Milan and enjoy fine dining, high fashion and the opera at La Scala.  Hard as it may be, venture away from Milan's stunning cathedral and its stylish, sophisticated city vibe.  Beyond the beautiful blue lakes of Como and the Roman ruins at Brescia, Lombardy's surrounding countryside hides some drinking treasures.

Red or white?
Actually here it's red from Valtellina and sparkling from Franciacorta. 

Valtellina's reds are made from Nebbiolo, locally known as Chiavennasca.  Different from Piedmont,  these wines have a slightly softer tannin frame, silky chocolate and dark plum fruit, making them a great way to explore another side of Nebbiolo.   The region is a stunning alpine valley of sheer sunny terraced vineyards cut into the mountains that mark the Swiss-Italian border. 

Near Brescia, the cool slopes of Franciacorta are home to high-end traditional method sparkling wines.  The best producers are taking a leaf from Champagne's quality model and also, mind you, putting them on notice. With a well deserved premium reputation, these wines are complex, with layers of toasty, biscuity flavours from long ageing.

Grapes
Chiavennasca (Nebbiolo) in Valtellina
Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Bianco in Franciacorta

Favourite Producers
Dirupi, Ar. Pe. Pe., Nino Negri, Sandrofay (Valtellina)
Ca del Bosco, Berlucchi, Bellavista, Monte Rossa, Enrico Gatti (Franciacorta)