The Italian region with the capital Milano (Milan) is located in the far north and borders Switzerland. Viticulture here dates back to the Etruscans, Venetians, Ligurians and Romans. The Mantuan-born poet and classic of Latin school reading Virgil (70-19 BC) wrote of "rivers, lakes, olive trees, vines and golden fields of grain" in his homeland. He probably meant the hills around Lake Garda, which covers 370 square kilometres. The extensive Po Valley is mainly used for agriculture and livestock farming.

Vineyards

The vineyards cover 24,700 hectares of vines. The best wine-growing areas are mainly located in the large area of Lago di Como, Lago di Garda and Lago d'Iseo between Bergamo and Verona, as well as in the Valtellina on the Swiss border. In Lombardy, the largest quantity of spumante (sparkling wine) is produced according to the metodo classico (bottle fermentation). The capital Milan is the largest wine market in Italy.

Climate & soil types

The climate ranges from the continental mountain climate in the Alps to the sub-Mediterranean climate around Lake Garda. In the Alpine areas such as Valtellina, cold winters, sunny summers and strong day-night fluctuations ensure that the grapes ripen slowly. The regions around Lake Garda benefit from mild winters, hot summers and the temperature-balancing effect of the lake - ideal for fruity white and red wines.

The soil types are characterised by great diversity. Well-drained slate and granite soils predominate in the mountains, calcareous loam and clay soils around Lake Garda and deep, fertile alluvial soils in the Po Valley. This diversity enables the cultivation of a wide variety of grape varieties and wine styles.

Grape varieties

White wine varieties are Chardonnay, Cortese, Garganega, Incrocio Manzoni (Manzoni Bianco), Lambrusco Salamino, Lambrusco di Sorbara, Malvasia di Candia Aromatica or Malvasia Aromatica di Candia, Moscato Bianco (Muscat Blanc), Moscato Giallo (Gold Muscat), Pinot Bianco (Pinot Blanc), Pinot Grigio (Pinot Gris), Riesling Italico (Welschriesling), Riesling Renano (Riesling), Sauvignon (Sauvignon Blanc), Tuchì or Friulano (Sauvignonasse), Trebbiano Giallo, Trebbiano Toscano and Verdicchio Bianco (Trebbiano di Soave or Trebbiano Nostrano).

Red wine varieties are Ancellotta, Barbera, Berzamino (Marzemino), Bonarda (Croatina), Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, Corvina (Corvina Veronese), Fortana, Franconia (Blaufränkisch), Grappello Grasparossa (Lambrusco Grasparossa), Grappello Maestri (Lambrusco Maestri), Grappello Marani (Lambrusco Marani), Grappello Ruperti (Lambrusco Viadanese), Groppello (Groppello Gentile), Groppello di Mocasina, Incrocio Terzi 1, Merlot, Molinara, Moscato di Scanzo, Nebbiolo or Chiavennasca, Negrara Trentina, Pinot Nero (Pinot Noir), Rondinella, Sangiovese, Schiava Gentile, Schiava Grigia, Schiava Lombarda, Ughetta (Vespolina) and Uva Rara.

DOC/DOCG/IGT areas

The IGT (regional wines) and the DOC and DOCG (quality wines) areas in Lombardy are

• Alpi Retiche - until 2019 Terrazze Retiche di Sondrio (IGT)
• Alto Mincio (IGT)
• Benaco Bresciano (IGT)
• Bergamasca (IGT)
• Botticino (DOC)
• Buttafuoco dell'Oltrepò Pavese or Buttafuoco (DOC)
• Capriano del Colle (DOC)
• Casteggio (DOC)
• Cellatica (DOC)
• Collina del Milanese (IGT)
• Curtefranca - formerly Terre di Franciacorta (DOC)
• Franciacorta (DOCG)
• Garda - also Veneto (DOC)
• Garda Colli Mantovani (DOC)
• Lambrusco Mantovano (DOC)
• Lugana - also Veneto (DOC)
• Montenetto di Brescia (IGT)
• Moscato di Scanzo or Scanzo (DOCG)
• Oltrepò Pavese (DOC)
• Oltrepò Pavese Metodo Classico (DOCG)
• Oltrepò Pavese Pinot Grigio (DOC)
• Pinot Nero dell'Oltrepò Pavese (DOC)
• Provincia di Mantova (IGT)
• Provincia di Pavia (IGT)
• Quistello (IGT)
• Riviera del Garda Classico - formerly Riviera del Garda Bresciano (DOC)
• Ronchi di Brescia (IGT)
• Ronchi Varesini (IGT)
• Sabbioneta (IGT)
• San Colombano al Lambro (DOC)
• San Martino della Battaglia - also Veneto (DOC)
• Sebino (IGT)
• Sforzato di Valtellina or Sfursat di Valtellina (DOCG)
• Terre del Colleoni or Colleoni (DOC)
• Terre Lariane (IGT)
• Valcalepio (DOC)
• Valcamonica (IGT)
• Valtellina Rosso or Rosso di Valtellina (DOC)
• Valtellina Superiore (DOCG)
• Valtènesi (DOC)

Image: By Bertazzonipaolo - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link