Lombardy has five DOCG (di origine controllata garantita – guaranteed and controlled origin) wines:

• Franciacorta spumante
• Sforzato di Valtellina
• Oltrepò Pavese
• Valtellina Superiore DOCG
• Moscato di Scanzo
• Orange Wine from Lombardy

A fantastic place for tasting wine in Milan is the historical winebar and -shop Cantine Isola located in Milan’s Chinatown at 30, Via Paolo Sarpi (find on map)

Franciacorta spumante, classical method

As the first Lombard DOCG wine we have chosen the very sophisticated white (or maybe even rosé) sparkling wine, a DOCG spumante. classical method – also known as the Champenoise Method that is produced in Franciacorta (Lombardy, province of Brescia).

There are numerous quality wine producers, just to mention some of the most important. Visit the offical Franciacorta website ones: Barone Pizzini, Bellavista, Berlucchi, Ca’ del Bosco, Contadi Castaldi, Il Mosnel, Monte Rossa.

“Sparkling wine is a versatile wine that can be drunk with most typical Lombard dishes e.g. risotto with saffron and ossobuco, cold cuts and, obviously, seafood but it is actually also outstanding with pizza.” says sommelier Luisa Benetti.

Some suggestions for those of you, who want to buy wine to take home.

€€€€ (over €100)

Franciacorta Rosé Riserva Cuvée Annamaria Clementi  (pinot nero) – Ca’ del Bosco

Franciacorta Vittorio Moretti 2004 Limited Edition Teatro alla Scala  (chardonnay – pinot nero) – Bellavista

€€€ (€40-100)

Franciacorta Cabochon Brut (chardonnay – pinot nero) – Monte Rossa

Franciacorta Pas Dosé  Riserva Bagnadore (chardonnay – pinot nero) – Barone Pizzini

€€ (€20-40)

Franciacorta Satèn (chardonnay) –  Il Mosnel

Franciacorta Alma Cuvée Brut (pinot nero – chardonnay – pinot bianco) – Bellavista

Franciacorta Pas Dosé Cellarius (chardonnay – pinot nero) – Berlucchi

€ (€10-20)

Franciacorta Rosé (chardonnay – pinot nero) – Contadi Castaldi

Franciacorta Official Sparkling Wine Sponsor at EXPO

Sforzato di Valtellina

Our next wine is a red wine and if you like a robust and intensely scented red wine with a deep red glow  you need to try out the Sforzato di Valtellina (or Sfursàt as it’s called in the local dialect in the province of Sondrio). This wine comes from the mountains where the so-called heroic viticulture has produced a very interesting DOCG, A wine produced of Nebbiolo grapes, that have first been let to wither , which may sound a little negative, but which results in a very robust wine, locally it is called Chiavennasca.

“Lo Sfursàt is a robust and elegant win, which is aged in wooden barrels. It goes well with strong tasting meat dishes or aged cheese. But you can just as easily enjoy a glass after dinner” says Luisa..

Some of the best known producers are: Assoviuno, Bettini, Caven, Fay, Mamete Prevostini, Nera, Nino Negri, Plozza, Rainoldi, Triacca.

Some suggestions for those of you, who want to buy wine to take home.

€€€ (€40-50)

 Nino Negri Sforzato di Valtellina – Sfursat 5 stelle 2011

Bettini – Sfursat di Valtellina 2011

€€ (€25-40)

Fay – Sforzato di Valtellina, Ronco del Picchio 2010

Assoviuno – Sforzato di Valtellina, San Bello 2008

Rainoldi – Sfursat di Valtellina  2010

Triacca – Sforzato di Valtellina, San Domenico 2010

Oltrpò Pavese, classical method

Our third DOCG wine comes from the area south of Milan in the hills in the province of Pavia and is another sparkling wine this time . Oltrepò Pavese Metodo Classico DOCG (Champenoise Method). 

The main vine variety used is pinot nero which was brought here from France in the second half of the 19th century.

Our expert sommelier Luisa Benetti says:”This bubbly wine is suitable for vegetarian and vegan dishes e.g. risotto with strawberries or a more traditional pasta e fagioli (pasta with beans). But it’s perfect for an aperitivo with appetizers as well.”

Some producers: Anteo,  Cà di Frara, Castello di Cigognola, Conte Vistarino, Giorgi, Montagna , Picchi, Podere San Giorgio, Tenuta il Bosco,
Torrevilla, Travaglino, Vigne Olcru

Some suggestions for those of you who want to buy some of this wonderful wine

€€ (€30)

Oltrepò Pavese Metodo Classico Brut Rosé Victoria 2008 (pinot nero) – Vigne Olcru

€ (€18-21)

Oltrepò Pavese Metodo Classico Pinot nero Pas Dosé ‘more rosé 2011 (pinot nero) – Castello di Cigognola

Oltrepò Pavese Metodo Classico Cruasé (pinot nero) – Anteo

Oltrepò Pavese Metodo Classico Pinot nero Conte Vistarino 1865  – 2008 (pinot nero e chardonnay) – Conte Vistarino

Oltrepò Pavese Metodo Classico Pinot nero brut nature 2010 (pinot nero) – Picchi

For more information visit this website.

Valtellina Superiore DOCG

For the fourth DOCG wine we return to the mountains in the province of Sondrio where we find a close relative to the Sforzato, an important red wine, the Valtellina Superiore DOCG.

It comes from the same vine variety the Nebbiolo, locally called Chiavennasca, from the same valley and the same heroic viticulture as the Sforzato and the Valtellina Superiore is also aged in barrels But an important difference is that the grapes aren’t left to wither.

If the label says ‘Riserva’ it means that it has been aged for at least three years..

Luisa Benetti, our sommelier and wine expert recommends the following five Cru: Grumello – Inferno – Sassella – Valgella – Maroggia.

“The Valtellina Superiore is intense and smooth and goes well with pizzoccheri alla Valtellinese or a dish of meat and porcino mushrooms.” Luisa says.

Some of the most important producers are: AR.PE.PE, Bettini, Caven, Fay, Mamete Prevostini, Nera, Nino Negri, Plozza, Rainoldi, Triacca

Here are some suggestions if you want to take some Valtellina Superiore home:

€€ (€22-35)

Valtellina Superiore La Botte Ventitre’ 2002 – Bettini

Valtellina Superiore Inferno Riserva Fiamme Antiche 2010 – AR.PE.PE.

Valtellina Superiore Sassella Riserva 2009 – Rainoldi

€ (€20)

Valtellina Superiore Sassella San Lorenzo 2011 – Mamete Prevostini

Valtellina Superiore Riserva Signorie 2007 – Nera

Valtellina Superiore Inferno Carlo Negri  2011 – Nino Negri

Moscato di Scanzo

Like any self-respecting  chef would we finish off with the dessert wine, the smallest DOCG in Italy, a real gem; the Moscato di Scanzo, a sweet red passito wine.

Scanzo is a small municipality in the province of Bergamo, its Moscato is a native Italian vine with an ancient history, the grapes are sun-dried for several weeks and the wine is aged for at least two years.

“The result,” says our wine expert, sommelier Luisa Benetti,”is a sweet wine that you can drink either with a chocolate tart or Marrons glacés – in Milan the most famous ones are from the Pasticceria Galli (find on map)”

Here are some ideas in case you want to buy some to take home:

€€€ (€35-50)

Locatelli Caffi – Moscato di Scanzo 2011

De Toma – Moscato di Scanzo 2011

Il Cipresso – Moscato di Scanzo Serafino 2010

La Brugherata – Moscato di Scanzo Doge 2011

Biava – moscato di Scanzo 2011

The best known producers are
Biava – Cascina del Francès – Cerri – De Toma – Il Cipresso – La Brugherata -Locatelli Caffi

For further information visit this website.

Orange wine

Orange wine is apparently all the rage so what is it and which Italian labels produce them?

They are the new rosé but rosé wine gets its colour from the skins of black grapes left to macerate for some time and then removed, so the wine doesn’t become red, whereas orange wines are made from white grapes and the macerating of the skins give them their spectacular colour, it is not a new process but a very old tradition indigenous to the Friuli Venezia Giulia region. They are perfect with raw fish, meat and venison. Read more here.

Here is list of the producers in Italy:

Abbazia San Giorgio
Costadilà
Draga-Miklus
Dario Prinčič
Gravner
Il Carpino
La Castellada
Paraschos
Porta del Vento
Ronco Severo
Sassotondo