North-east of Milan boasts Franciacorta area, famous for its excellent Champagne method wines and Valtellina, an alpine valley famed for its cherry-scented red wines made from Nebbiolo grape.

Well stocked wine bars always display on shelves a variety of Franciacorta and Oltrepò Pavese bottles as a proud answer to French Champagne, although there are clear differences among them in scale, history and character.  Don’t worry, all of them will be pointed out by your wine expert during your wine tasting….. an exciting way to start your wine tasting in Milan!

Let’s go ahead with our description of Valtellina, an ultimate mountain wine area on the border with Switzerland, where vineyards are grown on south-facing terraced slopes in the province of Sondrio, 60 miles away from Milan. This valley stretches for 15 miles eastwest along the Adda river, which runs quietly across its floor and although wine making dates back to more than 2 millennia, it is one of the least known wine areas in Italy, about 80 % of its wines are consumed within 100 miles-radius around it. But its reputation is constantly growing, and quality is not the only reason for it.

The rows of vines are perpendicular to the river and sit on steep slopes at altitude between 750-2500 ft, which makes impossible mechanized harvesting so that viticultural labor is totally handmade, although today small cableways  -teleferiche- facilitate the harvesting and  prevent grape rots. The alluvial origin soil consists of gravel rich in silica, lime, sand and in some specific  solid rock pebbles protec the vineyards from frosts and abrupts changes in temperature.

Red aged wines produced there are among the finest ones in Italy, all made from Chiavennasca grape, a clone of Piedmont’s famed Nebbiolo, the father of the full bodied Barolo and Barbaresco. 

However the simple Valtellina Rosso Doc is a good starting point to enjoy the distinctive Chiavennasca aromas of cherry, rose and dried red fruit, with scents of tobacco. If you are looking for something more concentrated and robust, don’t miss the other two DOCG wines: Valtellina Superiore DOCG and the dried-grape Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG, the first raisinated dry wine to be granted the highest ranking for wines of superior quality in 2003. Ask the Sommelier to include a “glass of Valtellina” in your wine tasting in Milan.

The vine landscape of eastern Lombardy is strongly influenced by the presence of Garda Lake, the largest one in Italy, referred both to climate and ampelography. Wine and olive oil have been producing since ancient times, and that side of Lombardy shares with Veneto the same grapes, due to the opposite coasts of the lake. 

In addition to the red grapes, it is worth mentioning the white ones Trebbiano di Lugana and Garganega used for fruity, crispy, lively wines and and the intensely colored Chiaretto, a rosé made from Groppello, Marzemino, Sangiovese and Barbera grape.

Just to go back to the city this text got  started, Milan needs to be honored, somehow….  it boasts a small Doc area granted in 1984, San Colombano al Lambro, just 25 miles south from the capital of the region. Due to its location, vineyards are grown on the very few hills in the famuosly flat Po river basin, which increase both scents and aromas. All red wines are all based on blends of Croatina and Barbera with the help of Uva Rara, while Chardonnay is combined with Pinot Nero for the both flat and sparkling the quality of food and wine, white wines.  

At this point you are ready to book and enjoy your wine tasting in Milan…..you will discover much more!