Emilia-Romagna:
Chomping at the BitBY ERIC GUIDO | MAY
20, 2025It has to happen. It can only be so long before efforts yield
results and perceptions change—so long before the research into soils, clones
and farming carried out by a dedicated group of forward-thinking winemakers
starts to pay off—so long before the mapping and establishment of UGAs and the
wave of modernization that has swept through the region is noticed.
Emilia-Romagna is poised to take a prominent place on the world stage, but will
consumers embrace these unique Sangioveses and deep, complex Lambruscos? Only
time will tell, but I know for sure that readers willing to take the plunge and
experiment will be drinking very well.&nbsp;A Sangiovese Like No Other







Sangiovese
in Romagna has a distinctive character that sets it apart from the more familiar
Sangioveses found throughout Tuscany. This has been a double-edged sword for
the region. It has only been in the last 10 to 15 years that the combination of
climate change with an influx of progressive winemakers has begun to yield wines
that impress international palates. With that said, the history of Sangiovese
in Romagna goes as far, if not further back, than their neighbors in Tuscany
(this point is often argued between the two regions). However, the woodsy, often
herbal character and rounder fruit profile of Romagna Sangiovese—the result of
Emilia-Romagna’s terroir and an array of different clones—usually renders it unidentifiable
to an untrained or inexperienced palate. Romagna Sangiovese (or Sangioveto dal
Cannello Piccolo, which originated in Predappio) is distinguished by its
smaller bunches and berries, thicker skins and dark, almost black color.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1747674016430-An+eclectic+mix+of+Emilia+Romagna+Sangiovese_Vinous.jpg">An eclectic mix of Emilia-Romagna Sangiovese.Francesco Bordini, winemaker at Villa Papiano and consultant
for the highly regarded wines of Ronchi di Castelluccio and Mutiliana in the
subzone of Modigliana, offered, “Through most of the 1990s, consultants and
winemakers were treating Romagna Sangiovese the same as Sangiovese from
Tuscany, using more extraction and extended time in small barrels. It was only
when we realized that our Sangiovese required a softer touch that we were able
to make better wines.” His words rang true as I tasted through the Ronchi di
Castelluccio portfolio. This is the most historic estate in Modigliana, with wines
from the 1970s that are still drinking beautifully today. However, the wines
made in the 1990s and 2000s bear overt wood inflections and unbalanced tannins.
At that time, famed oenologist Vittorio Fiore made the wines using the
experience he gained and techniques he practiced in Tuscany. The wines were
often flashy upon release but have not matured evenly. Sadly, many other
wineries in Emilia-Romagna still use those heavy-handed methods. These
portfolios stick out like a sore thumb and exemplify why Romagna Sangiovese
hasn’t reached its potential worldwide.

Alternatively,
the use of concrete, steel, neutral barrels and larger-format barrels allows
for a much clearer interpretation of Romagna's unique Sangiovese clone. Chiara
Condello, of her own namesake winery and Condé (her family's historic estate),
came to the same realization as she began developing her terroir-focused
portfolio 10 years ago. Condello’s wines made a big splash internationally and
continue to be some of the finest examples coming out of Romagna today. Condello’s
gentle approach to extraction and fermentation, plus long aging in large
35-hectoliter casks, allows her to communicate regional flavor and varietal
typicity in a package that consumers find widely appealing. The Condé portfolio
has also fallen in step as Condello has slowly integrated her techniques into
the winemaking there as well.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1747674080605-Chiara+Condello+in+her+Le+Lucciole+vineyard+describing+the+differences+between+clones+of+Sangiovese_Vinous.jpg">Chiara Condello describing the differences between Sangiovese clones in her Le Lucciole vineyard in Predappio.Sadly, despite unique and exceptional terroir, the quality
disparity in the region’s wines is undeniable. Consumers can’t blindly buy
wines in the market and feel assured of a good product. Romagna remains very
producer-specific, and only a few of these producers have made a significant
impact outside of Italy. Areas of Note



Predappio
is ripe with potential. Soils here were created by an ancient sea that receded,
leaving behind a mix of marine sediments, referred to in Romagna as spungone.
These porous, calcareous sandstones are inlaid with seashells, coral and
petrified marine life. They litter the vineyards amongst a mix of clay and sand
and are believed to be the reason behind the minerality and vertical lift in
the wines. The question remains: When will we see a dramatic increase in fine
wine from the area? There has been outside interest in Predappio from other
parts of Romagna, a good example being Villa Papiano with their single-vineyard
wine, Pré, yet there’s little other attention being paid to the region.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1747674173190-Stones_Vinous.jpg">Left:&nbsp;Friable sandstone in Modigliana. Right:&nbsp;A tiny fragment of spungone. These stones can be the size of boulders.Modigliana is another area with excellent prospects and
more focus from the region's producers. Modigliana consists of three valleys in
the extreme southeast of Romagna. It is heavily influenced by the sea to the
east and the Apennines to the west, with the border of Tuscany just a few
kilometers away. The town of Modigliana sits at an elevation of 180 meters, but
the vineyards average between 300 to 500 meters as they run up and along the
valley walls. The soils are quite similar to Lamole in Chianti Classico, with a
large amount of sandstone mixed with marl. In Modigliana, forests that surround
the vineyards. These thick, lush woodlands lend a cooling influence throughout
the hot summer months. Many winemakers in the area claim that global warming
has helped them significantly over the past decade, as it was challenging to
achieve physiological ripeness in the past. Just over the last five years, I’ve
noticed a significant surge in quality here. The wines are pure and complex, and
they speak of terroir above all else. One of the portfolios that I find most illustrative
of the region’s characteristics comes from Mutiliana, which has a bottling from
each of the three valleys.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1747674139879-Podere+La+Berta%27s+Sangiovese+vineyards+in+Brisighella_Vinous.jpg">Podere La Berta's Sangiovese vineyards in Brisighella.Beyond SangioveseIt’s easy to get caught up in Sangiovese, but
Emilia-Romagna is actually one of Italy’s most diverse regions. Emilia-Romagna
ranks as the third-largest wine-producing region in the country, following
Puglia and Veneto, which can mainly be attributed to its long-standing
dominance in the Lambrusco category. While this article covers only a small
amount of Lambrusco, I include the majority of reviews from this category in my
annual <a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/tis-the-season-for-sparkling-wine-dec-2024">Italian sparkling wine
report</a>. Emilia has seen a surge in high-quality Lambrusco from
smaller producers made in a range of styles, from Secco (dry) to Amabile
(semisweet) to Dolce (sweet). Today, many of these wines are artisanal
products made in smaller batches or created using Metodo Classico
(Champenoise Method). A well-made Lambrusco is not only the ultimate
food-pairing wine but also a wine of meditation. I urge readers to put aside preconceptions
of large-production, sometimes cloying and often sticky-sweet Lambrusco and
delve into the wines featured here. As a function of Lambrusco’s success, there
are also several unique sparkling wines in Emilia-Romagna, such as Ortrugo dei
Colli Piacentini. These wines, made from the Ortugo grape, hail from the
northwest of the region where Emilia borders Lombardy. These wines are quite
distinct from Lambrusco and are typically made in a style best described as
Brut.&nbsp;





Emerging
from the Piacenza region, one of my favorite categories of Emilia-Romagna wine
is Gutturnio. These wines once fell under the subzone of Colli Piacentini
Gutturnio until 2010, when they received their own DOC. Gutturnio wines are
made from a blend of Barbera and Croatina (Bonarda). They are spicy and
energetic, more herbal and balsamic than the Barberas found in neighboring
Piedmont. These wines are extremely food-friendly and represent a significant
value. La Stoppa produces wines of a similar character but are located outside
of any defining DOC. Their winery and vineyards are located in the Trebbiolo
Valley in the foothills of Piacenza. La Stoppa continues to push the boundaries
of Emilia-Romagna wine, following a strict, traditional and unabashedly natural
path. Their Camporomano (Barbera) is always one of the best reds in the region,
but the Ageno (primarily Malvasia di Candia) steals the show. The Ageno firmly
fits into the orange wine category, yet it’s pure and clean—think Gravner
Ribolla without the glycerol richness.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1747673959113-Albana+vineyards+and+the+Tre+Monti+winery+located+in+the+hills+of+Imola_Vinous.jpg">Albana vineyards and the Tre Monti winery located in the hills of Imola.Readers will also find a good amount of Trebbiano and a
recent surge in Sauvignon Blanc from Emilia-Romagna, but for my tastes, the
best whites here are made from the Albana grape. There was a time when Albana
was overproduced and yielded wines rich in residual sugar. The variety yields
naturally large bunches that ripen easily, so the challenge is to limit
production and resist the urge to take advantage of Albana’s high yields.
Today, Albana made in a dry style, from the likes of Ancarani, Podere La Berta,
and Tre Monti, delivers a mix of perfume and purity with weighty textures. That
said, I also highly recommend checking out Podere La Berta’s Albana Passito, a
dessert wine that impresses year after year.&nbsp;Hell Hath No Fury Like Mother Nature Scorned: The 2023
VintageThe 2023s from Emilia-Romagna are lifted, finessed and
perfumed wines with lower-than-average alcohol, but they also lack
concentration. The 2023 vintage was defined by extreme weather challenges,
primarily a catastrophic deluge in mid-May. Following a warm winter and an
average budbreak, an unprecedented week of rainfall equivalent to a year's
average (600 millimeters of rain in two days) triggered landslides, road
closures and flooding while severely disrupting vineyard access. Combined with
ongoing overcast and rainy conditions through June, the region suffered a
severe onset of downy mildew. Many producers were left without options, as
tractors could not enter the vineyards to apply treatments. This resulted in
drastic yield reductions, with Albana and Sangiovese experiencing losses of up
to 70%. While the subsequent summer brought drier weather and warm conditions,
the damage had already been done, and winemakers were concerned that the
remaining fruit would not reach balanced maturity throughout the bunches. Severe
selection was necessary to obtain healthy fruit. Many wineries chose not to
bottle their single-vineyard and prestige wines, instead using their best fruit
to bolster their flagship bottling. 





I
tasted the wines for this report in our New York City offices in March 2025.© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism.<hr> You Might Also Enjoy<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/abruzzo-weathers-the-storm-surviving-the-2023-and-2024-vintages-may-2025">Abruzzo Weathers the Storm: Surviving the 2023 and 2024 Vintages</a>, Eric Guido, May 2025 <a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/tis-the-season-for-sparkling-wine-dec-2024">‘Tis The Season for Sparkling Wine</a>, Eric Guido, December 2024<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/umbria-peeling-back-the-layers-oct-2024">Umbria: Peeling Back the Layers</a>, Eric Guido, October 2024<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/fonte-canale-redefining-trebbiano-d-abruzzo-aug-2024">Tiberio's Fonte Canale: Redefining Trebbiano d'Abruzzo</a>, Eric Guido, August 2024<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/breaking-the-mold-campania-s-push-to-reinvent-itself-may-2024">Breaking the Mold: Campania’s Push to Reinvent Itself</a>, Eric Guido, May 2024<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/emilia-romagna-opposite-ends-of-the-spectrum-mar-2023">Emilia-Romagna: Opposite Ends of the Spectrum</a>, Eric Guido, March 2023

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