Emilia-Romagna runs across the top of the Italian peninsula, south of the Po River, from the Adriatic Sea almost to the west coast. Its capital and largest city is Bologna. It combines two historical areas: Emilia to the west, and Romagna on the coast to the east. Tourists know Emilia-Romagna as a food mecca, led by the cities of Bologna, Modena, Reggiano, and Parma. In the wine world, Emilia-Romagna is best known for the once wildly popular fizzy red wines made from Lambrusco, which are making a comeback. It has 2 DOCGs, 19 DOCs (see map on this page), and 9 IGPs. In 2022, Emilia-Romagna produced 6.1 million hl (68 million cases) of wine, putting it in its usual position as third among the Italian regions in volume (after Veneto and Puglia)—though it ranks only fifth in vineyard acreage with 53,000 ha (130,900 acres) registered. The region’s primary grape varieties are Trebbiano (30%), Lambrusco (18%), and Sangiovese (16%), and it makes slightly more white wine than red.
