Lombardia (Lombardy) is located centrally in Italy’s northern tier, stretching south from the Swiss border to the top of the peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Milan (Milano), the country’s second most populous city and one of the wealthiest. Tourists know Lombardia for Milan itself—Malpensa airport, La Scala, the duomo—as well as stunning Lake Como. In the wine world, Lombardia is probably best known for the classic-method sparkling wines of Franciacorta. The region has 23,400 ha (57,750 acres) of vineyards, with 5 DOCGs, 21 DOCs (see map on this page), and 15 IGPs. In 2022, with some weather challenges, Lombardia produced its second-lowest wine volume of the past decade at barely over 1.2 million hl (13.4 million cases), with slightly more white wine than red/rosato. The region’s primary grape varieties are Croatina (17%), Pinot Nero (14%), Chardonnay (13%), and Barbera (12%).
