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Word Count: 930 I Love Italian Wine and Food - The Lombardy Region
If you are looking for fine Italian wine and food, consider the Lombardy
region of northern Italy. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you’ll have
fun on this fact-filled wine education tour.
Mountainous Lombardy is located in the north central zone of Italy on the Swiss
border. It is one of the few regions of Italy without a seacoast. On the other
hand Lombardy is known for its beautiful lakes. Lombardy owes its name to the
Lombards, a Germanic people who ruled it and neighboring regions for two hundred
years well over a thousand years ago. Other rulers included the Celts, the
Romans, and the Franks. Its population is 9.4 million, the largest in Italy. In
fact, about one of six Italian residents lives in Lombardy.
Lombardy is second to Emilia-Romagna in agricultural production. Among its many
agricultural products are rice, wheat, corn, fruits, olives, cattle, pigs, and
sheep. Natives still eat more risotto (a rice dish) and polenta (corn bread)
than pasta.
The capital of Lombardy’s is Milan, Italy’s financial, fashion, and media
center. With a population of 1.3 million, Milan is larger than seven regions of
Italy.
Lombardy devotes about 66 thousand acres to grapevines, it ranks 11th among the
20 Italian regions. Its total annual wine production is about 44 million
gallons, also giving it an 11th place. About 62% of the wine production is red
or rosé, leaving 38% for white. The region produces 15 DOC wines and 3 DOCG
wines, Franciacorta, a sparkling wine made in the traditional (Champagne)
manner, and 2 red wines; Valtellina Superiore, reviewed below, and Sforzato di
Valtellina. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be
translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin. The G in DOCG stands for
Garantita, but there is in fact no guarantee that such wines are truly superior.
Over 47% of Lombardy’s wine carries the DOC or the DOCG designation. Lombardy is
home to about four dozen major and secondary grape varieties, approximately
three fifths red and two fifths white.
Widely grown international white grape varieties include Pinot Bianco, known as
Pinot Blanc outside of Italy, Chardonnay, Trebbiano, and Malvasia. The best
known Italian white varieties are Gargena, an Italian variety of Riesling,
Renano Italico, and an Italian variety of Trebbiano, Trebbiano di Lugana.
Widely grown international red grape varieties include Pinot Noir. The best
known strictly Italian red varieties are Barbera, Bonarda, Lambrusco, and a
local Nebbiolo called Chiavennasca.
Before we reviewing the Lombardy wine and cheese that we were lucky enough to
purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few
suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful
region.
Start with Pizzoccheri della Valtellina, Buckwheat Flour Ribbons with Wilted
Cabbage, Potatoes, and Mountain Cheese.
For a second course try Ossobuco all Milanese, Braised Veal Shanks with
Grenolata (Parsley, Garlic, and Lemon).
And for dessert, indulge in Budino di Pannetone, Pannetone Bread Pudding
OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY While we have communicated with well over a thousand
Italian wine producers and merchants to help prepare these articles, our policy
is clear. All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail
price.
Wine Reviewed
Triaccio ‘Sassela’ Valtellina Superiore 2002 13% alcohol about $16.50 DOCG
In his work Codice Atlantico, Leonardo da Vinci described Valtellina, the source
of this wine as “A valley surrounded by tall and terrible mountains, it makes
really powerful wines.” This area has made wine since the days of the Etruscans
and the Ligurians, prior to the ancient Romans. It is the northernmost area for
growing the Nebbiolo grape. The wine itself is one of the three DOCG wines in
Lombardy.
The marketing materials stated that its nose is quite outspoken, with aromas
including mushroom, dried cranberry, and paraffin. It is dry with good fruit,
surrounded by supple tannins. This medium-bodied wine is recommended with hard
cheeses or grilled game birds.
This wine was aged 18 months in large wooden casks and a further 6 months in
steel tanks. The producer says it can be cellared for 8-10 years and suggests
drinking it with pasta of all sorts, air-dried beef, and cheese.
I first tasted this wine with beef ribs. It was round but a bit intimidated by
the spicy cumin and curry sauce. Paired with a slow cooked beef and potato stew
it handled itself better. It was quite fruity and cut the meal’s grease. It
almost tasted like a Beaujolais.
I tried it with two cheeses. Grana Padano is a classic Parmesan-type cheese made
for a millennium in northern Italy including the Lombardy region. It is a
cylindrical, cooked, semi-fat cheese which matures slowly. It has a grainy
consistency and may be sliced or grated. The cheese’s taste is fragrant and
delicate. The wine brought out the nutty aspect of the cheese, while
intensifying its fruit. It paired well with Pecorino Toscana from Tuscany, two
regions south of Lombardy.
Final verdict. I was a bit disappointed with this wine, DOCG is supposed to mean
top of the line, and it was not.
About the Author
Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet,
but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine Italian or other wine,
accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario
French-language community college. His wine website is
www.theworldwidewine.com .
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