Molise

Sandwiched disdainfully between the Abruzzo and Puglia, Molise was part of the former until it made a break for independence in 1963.  No one is really sure why but its 550 square miles of rugged hills remains undiscovered and unspoilt in a way that resonates with all those weary of both big cities and bright lights.  Abandoned medieval hamlets and derelict vineyards dot the countryside; sheep gaze across a panorama unchanged for centuries and fishing boats blend into an azure haze off the rugged coast. 

Fortunately, time also appears to have forgotten Tintila, a viticultural relic from the Roman Empire that has survived unscathed, and Vincenzo Cianfagna makes it shine.