The Wines of Central Italy

At first glance, central Italy’s wines form a fragmented mosaic: Montepulciano’s plush generosity, Verdicchio’s tensile grace, Sagrantino’s tannic gravity, Pecorino’s briny cut, Albana’s golden flesh, Lambrusco’s playful fizz. But beyond this stylistic variety lies a common thread: these wines are shaped by deep historical continuity, complex geography, and a cultural autonomy that both Italian institutions and international markets have largely overlooked. In The wines of Central Italy, Cristina Mercuri MW sets out to discover the most exciting wines of Umbria, Emilia-Romagna, Abruzzo, Montepulciano and Lazio. In each region she explores the cultural background to the wines, profiles the most significant native grape varieties and explains traditional winemaking techniques. She meets the producers working to elevate their region’s wines on the world stage and assesses the viticultural future for central Italy. Complete with colour maps and photos, this book is a voyage of discovery for lovers of wines rooted in tradition.