Sangiovese wine and more: precious suggestions to enjoy great wine

Romagna is considered one of the most important national producers of high-quality wines, as evidenced by the three glasses it has repeatedly been awarded by the “Italian Wines” guide of Gambero Rosso.

 

The Almanac “Berebene 2005” (page 137) states: “...their best Sangiovese wines compete with the finest Italian red wines... a constant growth which ensures local producers substantial future development”.

 

The first news about Sangiovese wine date back to the late '600: it is said that during a banquet held at the Monastery of the Capuchin Friars in Santarcangelo di Romagna, Pope Leo XII and other illustrious guests were served the local wine produced by the friars.

They appreciated the wine very much and asked for its name. A friar said it was “Sunguis di Jovis” = Jupiter's blood (Sanjovese). Throughout the years, this wine has become the symbol of Romagna, thanks to the efforts and startegic business campaigns carried out by clever winemakers. Sangiovese grapes are also employed in the production of nationally renowned wines, such as Brunello di Montalcino, Chianti, Forgiano Rosso, Rosso Conero and many more.

 

Over the past ten years, the Sangiovese wine produced in Romagna has experienced a steady growth. It is said that Sangiovese di Romagna (Sanzvés) is the wine which best exemplifies the character of people from Romagna: straightforward, exuberant, open, strong and welcoming but at the same time sincere and delicate.

"Riserva"

 

It goes well with: homemade soups, meat sauce, roast and grilled meat, lamb leg, game and venison, pot roasts and braised meat.

“White berry Bombino Bianco” vine. Its name derives from the fact that growing it local farmers were always able to pay off their debts, since this vine withstood any weather condition. At that time, special agreements, the so-called “Pagadett”, were stipulated pledging one's word.

 

It is cultivated on the hills, especially the ones around Cesena and Forlí, and its limited production makes it possibile to obtain an higher alcoholic content and robust structure. It is straw yellow with greenish shades, flower-, fruit- and almond-scented.

 

It goes well with: soups, creams, seafood pasta and risotto, the traditional “passatelli”, white meat, grilled fish, fried frogs and snails and vegetable frittatas.

Trebbiano is a “white-berry” vine that produces a light wine to be consumed within a year from the grape harvest. Its origins date back to the Etruscan and Roman Ages, when settlers began to grow vines after the land reclamation of the area.

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In 1305, Pier dè Crescenzi wrote: “There is a type of vine, called tribiana, which is white with round and abundant grapes. When young, it doesn't give fruit, but subsequently becomes prolific”. Throughout the years, the original Trebbiano strain has given birth to plenty of other vines which are currently grown all over Italy and abroad (in France and California).

 

Depending on the location and the wine-making systems, different light wines can be obtained from the original vine, which are all scented, fresh and full-bodied. Trebbiano wine is straw yellow, flower- and herb-scented, dry and full-bodied.

An excellent appetizer, it goes well with savoury snacks, light starters and seafood salads.

It can be appreciated with the traditional piadina romagnola with “squaquerone” cheese and other local fresh cheeses (raviggiolo, casatella). 

Cagnina wine originates from the red berry "Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso" vine and is a sweet red wine which can be appreciated straight after the grape harvest. It was discovered during the Byzantine Age, when it was imported from Istria and Dalmatia together with the limestone acquired in order to build the historical monuments of Ravenna.

 

The earliest news about this wine date back to the XIIIth century and refers to the vine from Friuli (barbatelle di Terrano d'Istria or del Carso, which were synonymous with Refosco d'Istria or del Carso) which was grown around Forlí and Cesena and was called Cagnina.

 

The organoleptic characteristics of both Refosco del Terrano friulano and Cagnina wines are very similar, although different environmental conditions and wine-making systems are increasingly differentiating them: people from Romagna prefer the sweet and full-bodied Cagnina wine.

 

It is purple, wine- and red fruits-scented. It can be drunk a week after the wine-making and all over the course of the following year.

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It goes well with homemade cakes, roast chestnuts, fruit tarts, sweet tortelli stuffed with marmalade and cooked must. Tasting temperature: 10-12°

Albana wine is a “white berry” vine (big and pentagonal leaf, golden yellow skin), and it was the first white wine in Italy to be awarded the D.O.C.G. recognition in 1987. Its origins seem to date back to the Roman Age.

 

It was firstly mentioned in some documents about Galla Placidia, the daughter of Theodosius. Some people think its name derives from the so-called Colli Albani, where the soldiers who colonized Romagna came from. The most probable explanation is that it was named after the light grape's quality which is considered one of the best white grapes (Albus: white wine par excellence = Albana).

 

Legend as it that in 435 B.C. a beautiful woman with blonde hair, Galla Placidia, arrived in the little village situated just in the heart of the plain between Forlí and Cesena: fascinated by her beauty, local inhabitants offered her the sweet and full-bodied local wine, serving it in a rough earthenware jug. Delighted by the quality of that extraordinary wine which made her happy she said: “you should not be drunk in this humble way, but IN GOLD”. Legend as it that since then that village has been called Bertinoro (drink-in-gold).

The main production area revolves around the so-called “Spungone Romagnolo”, which stretches from Bertinoro to the Imola hills and features outstanding environmental conditions (it is windy, sunny and situated near the sea) and a rich soil composition.

"Romagna Albana Spumante" D.O.C.G.

 

Among the above-mentioned typologies, “Passito” is the pride of food and wine from Romagna, since it is an excellent competitive wine which over the last few years has achieved national fame and popularity. It is obtained from the withering of grapes. It is golden yellow with amber shades, honey-, almond-, peach-, apricot- and spice-scented.

It goes well with fish starters, quiches, vegetable and cereal soups, homemade pasta and risotto dishes, fish second courses, traditional desserts. It is best appreciated with cave-aged cheese accompanied by oak chestnut's honey, fig and quince jam, Savour Romagnolo (cooked must with quince apples and pears and dried fruit), candied figs and marbled cheeses (Gorgonzola, Taleggio di Grotta).