Italy – the Country of Wine
The fans of wine definitely have one destination, which they should not miss – Italy. This country is not only well-known for its cheap prices for this drink but also a great diversity of it. On the one hand, there are so much wine yards in Italy that it may seem that its citizens treat it as a daily routine but not something special. Nevertheless, taking into consideration the division of Italy into specific areas for vintage and their desire to present their own “secret” of this drink, it becomes clear that wine is something unique for Italians. Emilia-Romagna, Sicily, and the Oltrepo Pavese regions prove it. Emilia-Romagna is composed of two distinct areas (Emilia to the west of Bologna, around the upriver Po Valley; and Romagna to the east, centered on the delta of the river Po).
The combination of climate conditions of these two areas gives the opportunity for this region to gain the status of one of the best vintage places. Emilia’s most famous wine is Lambrusco. 50 million bottles of it are produced every year near Reggio Emilia and Modena. Nevertheless, this sort of wine is not the only benefit of this area. Colli Piacentini wines are also highly rated. In addition, it is hard to overestimate the wines, which reveal the nature of local people. They are the white Pagadebit (“debt payer” for its toughness) and Cagnina (as sweet as a woman from this region). In general, wines are made from Trebbiano, Sangiovese, and Albana grapes. Nevertheless, wines are not respected in this region only for the sake of wines. The secret lies also in the legendary cuisine. Parmesan cheese, prosciutto, and traditional aged balsamic vinegar accompanied by wine will definitely leave nobody indifferent (Plantamura, 2005). Sicily is also not left behind when speaking about vintage.
This historic island has been growing wine for more than 4,000 years; so local people believe that wine is definitely in their blood. Sicily is not concentrated only on producing one or several luxurious sorts of wine, but provides a whole world with simple wine (more white than red). Nevertheless, it does not mean that those who want to pamper themselves cannot find some sumptuous sorts there. The most famous of them is Marsala, a highly acidic fortified wine with brown sugar flavors. Sicily is also home to Corvo (red and white) and Moscato di Pantelleria, a light sweet wine with an apple-like essence. The main type of grape for vintage in this region is Catarrato Bianco. Similarly to Emilia-Romagna, the taste of wine in this region cannot be revealed without the help of appropriate dishes. In Sicily, such appetizer as antipasti, main dishes as fish and seafood, pasta and meats, and dessert as doci, made of fresh ricotta cheese, are perfectly combined with the taste of Sicilian wine. Nevertheless, there is one particular feature of this region. There, wine does not only serve to accompany food but makes the part of it. For example, the wine Marsala is known also as a cooking ingredient, which many people put in stews and meat dishes (Blackburn, & Levine, et al., 2004). All the benefits, which wine can only have, are combined in the Oltrepo Pavese Region.
It is one of Italy’s leading wine sorts – growing districts, appreciated by all wine lovers for the quality and variety of its products. As this area is placed on the sun-kissed low hills, red grapes are the most common thing. The red grapes, varieties of Barbera and Croatina, are the most spread in this region. They are used unblended for such famous sorts of wine as Buttafuoco and Sangue di Giuda given extra flavor through the addition of Vespolina and Uva Rara. Nevertheless, white berry grapes also play a great role in this area as they contribute to producing such famous wines as Riesling Italico. In general, 14, 5 million US gallons of DOC wines are made in this region – the third largest production in Italy. In addition, the Oltrepo Pavese Region is known among other countries because of the perfect combination of wines and dishes produced there. Regional meals made from the seasonal ingredients like truffles and mushrooms, wild boar, and the local meats of rabbit are the perfect choice to reveal the taste of wines (Touring Club of Italy, 2004).
To sum up, Italy is well-known for its wine around the world. The main reason for it is a great diversity of sorts, which can satisfy different tastes. Such regions as Emilia-Romagna, Sicily, and the Oltrepo Pavese prove it by their own examples.
