Known for its economic wealth, Lombardy’s capital, Milan, has the highest GDP per capita in Europe. Lombardy also has much to offer from a geographical point of view.
Protected from inclement weather from the north by the alps and with numerous lakes that provide maritime influence, Lombardy has been a major producer of fine wine since the Renaissance. Lombardy’s most famous appellation, Valtellina, makes some of Italy’s greatest expressions of Nebbiolo thanks to its mountain viticulture and rocky soils. Oltrepò Pavese, with its calcareous subsoils in the south, is renowned for its production of classic method sparkling wines from Pinot Noir while Franciacorta, with its morainic subsoils in the north, produces some of Italy’s best classic method sparkling Chardonnay. In recent years, Lombardy’s Lugana appellation, located to the south of Lake Garda, has become famous for its elegant, lithe whites produced using Trebbiano di Lugana (recently established to be a Verdicchio clone). The appellation’s pebbly soils and proximity to Lake Garda make it ideal for the production of high-quality white wines that develop nuance and complexity with age.