On the Road with the Grape Guy: Report from: Romagna Tasting

Monday, March 7, 2016

Report from: Romagna Tasting – February 22, 2016

This is my second time in Romagna for their Anteprima … The region is known for the Albana grape (white) and Sangiovese (red) - and the first thing you quickly realize is this region has an inferiority complex about Tuscany (their more popular neighbour and brother in Sangiovese). The focus of the tasting was their “Riserva” wines – the one’s aged a minimum 24 months in barrel … these wines are young, raw, aggressive, tannic and acidic - but they are also very ageable. During our dinner with the producers they showcased wines from 2008 and 2009 that were quite brilliant and paired well with the exceptional cuisine of the area. These wines are meant to be paired with food – not tasted clinically on their own – and need time (lots of time) to balance themselves out … it would behoove the Consorzio to look into tasting the more approachable (and sooner) Superiore (non-Reserve) wines they produce and then also show off some older vintages of Riserva in a showcase (like they did this year with some 2008 wines), but use potentially older wines (10+ years) for us to see how well they can age.

Albana was also on display, a white grape that needs help to be recognized – even if it is the only DOCG of the area … but it deserves the spotlight, even if it’s a little one, as these wines can be quite interesting and approachable.

The table of Sangioveses

So, without further preamble …

The tasting was broken up into whites (Albana) both current and coming releases and Sangiovese Superiore Riserva – these wines are set to go on sale in the Spring of 2017 – some are still in barrel and some are in bottle ageing … I rate finished wines only – the rest fall into the “Potential” category, which, as the name suggests, are wines that show potential for the future once bottled.

(All scoring is out of 5 stars)

Romagna Albana (DOCG) …

Three Stars …

Tre Monti 2014 Romagna Albana DOCG “Vitalba”

Caviro 2014 Romagna Albana DOCG “Romio”

Madonia 2014 Romagna Albana DOCG “Neblina”

Three-and-a-Half Stars …

Fattoria Monticino Rosso 2014 Romagna Albana DOCG “Codronchio”

Three-and-a-Half PLUS Stars …

Fratta Minore 2014 Romagna Albana DOCG

Tenuta Masselina Romagna Albana DOCG

Trere’ 2014 Romagna Albana DOCG “Compradrona”

Potential (tank samples) …

I tasted eight 2015 tank samples (unfinished wine) of Albana these are the ones that I believe have the best potential for the future – I’m hoping for good things once bottled.

Branchini 2015 Romagna Albana DOCG “Dutia”

Giovannini Giorgio E Jacopo 2015 Romagna Albana DOCG

Trere’ 2015 Romagna Albana DOCG “Arlus”

Fiorentini 2015 Romagna Albana DOCG “Cleonice”

Romagna Sangiovese Riserva (DOC) 2013 …

Bucking the solo tasting ... tasting in a group (from right):
Megumi Nishida (Japan);
Jan-Sebastian Van Lissum (Holland);
and Michael Pinkus (Canada)

Three Stars …

Tre Monti 2013 Romagna Sangiovese Riserva DOC Oriolo “Thea”

Three-and-a-Half Stars …

Trere’ 2013 Romagna Sangiovese Riserva DOC Superiore “Amarcord D’un Ross”

Ca’ Di Sopra 2013 Romagna Sangiovese Riserva DOC Marzeno “Cadisopra”

Villa Papiano 2013 Romagna Sangiovese Riserva DOC Modigliana “I Probi di Papiano”

Poderi Dal Nespoli 2013 Romagna Sangiovese Riserva DOC Superiore “Il Nespoli”

Tenuta La Viola 2013 Romagna Sangiovese Riserva DOC “P. Honorii”

Santini 2013 Romagna Sangiovese Riserva DOC Superiore “Cornelianum”

Three-and-a-Half PLUS Stars …

Tre Monti 2013 Romagna Sangiovese Riserva DOC Oriolo “Petrignone”

Special Mention … (non-DOC wine)

Tenuta Santa Lucia 2013 Rubicone IGT Sangiovese “Moro Bendato”

Potential (tank samples) …

I tasted nineteen 2013 barrel samples (unfinished wine) of Sangiovese Riserva, these are the ones that I believed have the best potential for the future – I’m hoping for good things once bottled.

Fiorentini 2013 Romagna Sangiovese Riserva DOC Castrocaro “Vigna Dei Dottori”

Caviro 2013 Romagna Sangiovese Riserva DOC Superiore “Terragens”

Conde’ 2013 Romagna Sangiovese Riserva DOC Predappio “Conde’ Riserva”

Drei Dona’ 2013 Romagna Sangiovese Riserva DOC Superiore “Riserva Palazza”

Drei Dona’ 2013 Romagna Sangiovese Riserva DOC Superiore “Pruno”

Bissoni 2013 Romagna Sangiovese Riserva DOC Bertinoro

Madonia 2013 Romagna Sangiovese Riserva DOC Superiore Bertinoro “Ombroso”

Tenuta Casali 2013 Romagna Sangiovese Riserva DOC Superiore “Quatosole”

Tenuta Santa Lucia 2013 Romagna Sangiovese Riserva DOC Superiore “Sassignolo”

Romagna Sangiovese Riserva (DOC) 2012 …

Three Stars …

Madonia 2012 Romagna Sangiovese Riserva DOC Bertinoro “Ombroso”

Cantina Braschi di Enoica 2012 Romagna Sangiovese Riserva DOC Bertinoro “Il Costone”

Three-and-a-Half Stars …

Gallegati 2012 Romagna Sangiovese Riserva DOC Brisighella “Corallo Nero”

La Berta 2012 Romagna Sangiovese Riserva “Olmatello”

Fattoria Zerbina 2012 Romagna Sangiovese Riserva DOC Superiore “Torre di Ceparano”

Poderi Morini 2012 Romagna Sangiovese Riserva DOC Oriolo “Nonno Rico”

Berti Stefano 2012 Romagna Sangiovese Riserva DOC Predappio “Calisto”

Drei Dona’ 2012 Romagna Sangiovese Riserva “Podere Palazza”

Tenuta La Viola 2012 Romagna Sangiovese Riserva DOC Bertinoro “P. Honorii”

Le Rocche Malatestiana 2012 Romagna Sangiovese Riserva DOC “Il Mastino”

Three-and-a-Half PLUS Stars …

Poderi Dal Nespoli 2012 Romagna Sangiovese Riserva DOC Superiore “Il Nespoli”

Potential (tank samples) …

I tasted three 2012 barrel samples (unfinished wine) of Sangiovese Riserva, this was the one with the best potential for the future:

Conde’ 2012 Romagna Sangiovese Riserva DOC Predappio “Conde’ Riserva”

Looking Back: 2008 Sangiovese di Romagna …

Showing that these wines need bottle age to really show what Romagna can do with the Sangiovese grape the Consorzio decided on a 12 wine retrospective tasting of the 2008 vintage – enlightening but I think they should go further, 10 years back might shine an even brighter light on these wines.