ITALY

The geology of Italy speaks to its complicated tectonic history, a twisted block of continental crust, largely capped with marine deposits of marl and limestone that have been driven into the underbelly of Europe throwing up the massive wall metamorphic rocks that form the core of the Alps. The hugely complex peninsular part of Italy is pierced by volcanoes (bright red) including Etna, Vesuvius and of course Monte Vulcano itself, an island off the coast of Sicily. This diversity of geologic substrate combined with dramatic topography and a huge range of climate zones creates Italy’s unparalleled diversity of terroir.

Wine map of Italy- courtesay delong

Italy is Europe's oldest wine country, with a history dating back almost 4,000 years.  There are more varieties of grape grown in Italy than all other European countries combined and the country has literally hundreds of Denominaziones (wine districts) defined by law.  From the snowy Alps in the north to southern Sicily, a mere 95 miles from Africa, Italy is a world of wines unto itself.