Lombardy

The economic center of Italy

Lombardy, or Lombardia, is Italy’s most populated region, encompassing the major city of Milan and serving as a center of economic activity since the boom following World War Two. Most of the vast region’s vinous output is consumed locally, primarily in Milan, and its disparate and disconnected major winegrowing areas are situated in the far north (Valtellina), the far south (Oltrepò Pavese), and toward the east (Franciacorta, Lugana). The steep hillside vineyards of the Oltrepò Pavese in particular, visually reminiscent of Barolo or Barbaresco, can produce complex, concentrated wines of great aging potential, often blending the indigenous Croatina and Bonarda, as well as the widely planted Barbera.