Italy, a beloved, historic and tourist-filled nation in southern Europe, has long attracted the world's attention for its distinctive cuisine and long history of winemaking. In a way, food and wine define Italy. Sipping rosé while sitting along the Amalfi Coast is what many people would consider a dream vacation. Many people believe that the vineyards of Tuscany and Sicily are among the largest in the country if not the world, however, the often overlooked northern regions of Italy, particularly Friuli and Alto Adige, offer what could be the best and purest white wines ever. the nation but also the entire planet. These regions of northern Italy are able to produce these incredible wines thanks to their geographical location, terroir and innovative culture. Due to their northern location, Friuli and Alto Adige border Austria, as well as being closer to France, so they have many cultural and geographical similarities. Friuli, in particular, has always been predisposed to succeed precisely for this reason. For much of history, it served as a getaway for many Austrian nobles, so wine production was always meant to be “fit for kings.” ”Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay There are also many French and Austrian grape varieties that have made their way into Friuli, including Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Bianco, and Pinot Grigio. Combined with the more local grapes of Malvasia Istriana, Ribolla Gialla, Tocai Friulano and Picolit, the diversity of white wine grapes in Friuli is unmatched in any other region of Italy, allowing for blends that simply cannot exist elsewhere. A geographical feature that helps both Friuli and Alto Adige is the proximity of mountains and water. Both regions straddle the Alps allowing for cool air to blow in and keep the grapes at the perfect temperature. But to keep the weather from getting too cold, nearby water sources provide much-needed warm air. For Friuli it is the Adriatic Sea and for Alto Adige it is Lake Garda. This allows for an almost air-conditioned effect that causes the berries to grow slowly and evenly where the berries do not become too hot, so the skins do not become too thick for white wine, but at the same time they are not too thin either. This means that the grapes produce a wine that is not too sweet, but not too dry, in fact perfectly aromatic. The wine produced is a perfect combination of that of a cold and warm environment. Another contributor to the success of white wine in the northern region of Italy is the high concentration of limestone in the soil, perfect for preserving the acidity of the grapes. Additionally, the area's hilly terrain is also beneficial for viticulture, allowing for the benefits of sunlight directly hitting the vineyards, as well as easy drainage. However, not all vineyards in the area benefit from this as some are located on flat land, but still benefit from the overall climate. Much of northern Italy's winemaking prowess comes from technique and innovation. Although the area was affected during World War II, it quickly capitalized on Italy's industrial revolution, becoming an extremely important region in the world of winemaking in the 1960s. It was during this period that modern standards for white wine production in Italy were developed by Friulian winemakers, led by the infamous Mario Schiopetto. Winemakers in Italy produced white wine by fermenting it in wooden vats with all the,.