Italian Wine Regions -  Emilia-Romagna

The Emilia-Romagna wine region can be found between the Apennines hills, Po River, and Adriatic Sea. It produces some of the finest Italian wines. It is also well-known for its cuisine. As a wine grape growing region, it offers fertile plains.
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he vineyards found in this region cover 144,000 acres of land, and produce more than 470 million liters of wine annually. This ranks it as the fourth largest wine grape growing region in Italy. Its annual production makes up more than 1/5 of Italy's annual wine production.

The most common varieties grown in this region are Trebbiano and Sangiovese. The latter is said to be the favorite of the locals. It provides a very fruity taste.

Some also enjoy the uniquely dry Lambrusco that seems to only grow well in this region of the world. Lambrusco grape growing is easy to spot as it is characterized by high trellises on flat land. About 50 million bottles of wine are produced each year using the Lambrusco grapes of the Emilia-Romagna wine region.

Better known varieties that are also found here are the Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot, Barbera, Bonarda, Merlots, and Cabernet. Some of the less-known but well-regarded local varieties include Pagadebit, Cagnina, and a variety of zesty semi sweets.

The white wines of this region are legendary, as this is one of the great white grape growing regions of the world. Many of their white wines provide a special light touch for the tongue, with a nice dry taste. Some also provide rich acidic flavors.

Among the dry whites grown here are Albana, Malvasia, and Ortrugo. The Malvasia in particular is the most grown grape crop in Italy, though it originate in Greece. The Albana is the one known for its particularly high quality, due in large part to an acidic flavor with a teasing apricot flavor for the tongue.

A popular one for use with chocolate is the Primitivo di Manduria. It also provides a nice alcohol kick for those who want to escape for a while.

If you want to visit the Emilia-Romagna wine region and do some taste touring, it is recommended that you come during the fall. The summer is very hot and humid in this region. But the fall weather is moderately warm and you can enjoy the rich green landscaping of the plains as you bite into some of the local cheeses and taste of the local wine selections.