Italians are proud of their heritage.
The nation's contributions and creations have to cohabit with strong regional identities.
So it is no small feat for Vinitaly to have brought together 20 wine regions and their distinct varieties to blend in 2 wines, a white and a red celebrating 150 years of Italian unity.
They were introduced at Breakfast during Vino 2011 in New York on Tuesday, January 25, 2011.
Each wine includes 20 grape varieties:
For the red:
Valle d’Aosta: Petit rouge
Piemonte: Barbera
Lombardia: Croatina
Liguria: Rossese di Dolceacqua
Veneto: Raboso
Trentino Alto Adige: Teroldego
Friuli Venezia Giulia: Refosco dal peduncolo rosso
Emilia Romagna: Sangiovese
Toscana: Sangiovese
Lazio: Cesanese di Affile
Umbria: Sagrantino
Marche: Lacrima
Abruzzo: Montepulciano
Molise: Tintilia
Puglia: Negroamaro
Campania: Aglianico
Basilicata: Aglianico del Vulture
Calabria: Gaglioppo
Sicilia: Nero d’Avola
Sardegna: Carignano
For the white:
Valle d’Aosta: Priè blanc
Piemonte: Cortese
Liguria: Vermentino
Lombardia: Trebbiano di Lugana
Veneto: Garganega
Trentino Alto Adige: Weissburgunder
Friuli Venezia Giulia: Friulano
Emilia Romagna: Pignoletto
Toscana: Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Umbria: Grechetto
Lazio: Malvasia
Marche: Verdicchio
Abruzzo: Trebbiano
Molise: Falanghina
Puglia: Fiano
Campania: Fiano
Basilicata: Greco
Calabria: Greco bianco
Sicilia: Grillo
Sardegna: Vermentino
A very limited release, both wines will be gifted to dignitaries visiting Italy.