The historical hills at the heart of the peninsula boast conditions of ample sunshine and moderate temperatures highly favorable to vines. What is often called the modern renaissance in Italian wine began in Tuscany, with the renovation of its noble reds. But by now the six regions between the Tyrrhenian and Adriatic seas are realizing their eminent potential as they move to the forefront of Italian winemaking.
The regions of central Italy are divided physically, and to some degree culturally, by the Apennines. To the west, on the Tyrrhenian side, lie Tuscany, Latium and landlocked Umbria. To the east, on the Adriatic side, lie Marches, Abruzzi and Molise.
The realm of Sangiovese is Florence's region of Tuscany, where it prevails in Chianti – the nation’s archetypal red – as well as in the growingly prestigious Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and many of the unclassified wines known as "Super Tuscans."
White Malvasia reigns in Rome’s region of Latium. It is prominent in Frascati and the wines of the Alban hills, and combines with the ubiquitous Trebbiano in Est! Est!! Est!!! di Montefiascone and most other whites of the region.
Umbria has had the chance to pick and choose. Though Sangiovese is still often used for red wines, the native Sagrantino has come to the fore in the Montefalco zone where wines of unusual depth and power are classified as DOCG. The Procanico strain of Trebbiano is prominent in the widely known white wines of Orvieto.
A trend, more evident in Tuscany than elsewhere, has been the introduction of popular outside varieties – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, the Pinots, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. But efforts are also being directed at upgrading worthy natives, including the white Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Umbria's Grechetto and Latium’s red Cesanese.
Along the Adriatic coast, two native varieties stand out: the white Verdicchio in the Marches and the red Montepulciano, which originated in Abruzzi but is widely planted in Marches and Molise. Montepulciano can be remarkable on its own, as the base of the DOCG Conero in the Marches and Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, DOCG as Colline Teramane. But it also has a natural affinity for blends with Sangiovese in such fine reds as the Marches’ Rosso Piceno.
Verdicchio has undergone a revolution in the Marches’ Castelli di Jesi and Matelica
DOC zones, where it has surpassed its long-time reputation as a tasty fish wine to stand among the noblest native white varieties of Italy in wines that gain stature with age. Trebbiano, planted throughout the six regions, reaches heights in Abruzzi, where top producers make whites of surprising depth.
