Emilia-Romagna wine region

Emilia-Romagna is a wine region in northern Italy that makes a lot of wine. It has about 51,000–60,000 hectares of vineyards. This is about 8% of the Italy vineyards and produces 13% of all italian wine.^[1] The region is split in two parts: Emilia in the west and Romagna in the east. Each has different grapes, wines, and food.^[2][1] Most vineyards are on plains (≈75%), some on hills (≈20%) and a few on mountains (≈5%) with some areas very high in the Apennines ^[1]

People grow grapes in Emilia-Romagna from very old times. The first signs are from Villanovian civilization in 2nd millennium BCE.^[1] The Etruscans and Greeks improved grapes and wine in Romagna.^[3][1] Romans also planted Lambrusco and called it vitis labrusca because it tastes sour, they sent wine to Rome and soldiers.^[1] In middle ages monasteries kept vineyards and saved some grapes varieties.^[1] In 1800s the phylloxera destroyed almost all vines, but some survived.^[4][1] Today most wineries are small family run, some are bigger cooperatives.^[1] Lambrusco, Sangiovese, and Albana are the main wines.^[4][1] Most wines are young, frizzante, ready to drink. But Sangiovese from Romagna hills can be aged, especially Superiore and Riserva ^[1]

The inland has subcontinental climate, cold winters and hot summers. Near the Adriatic sea it is more Mediterranean.^[5][1] Soils are different:

• Po Valley: deep clay soils, fertile, vines grow tall ^[1]
• Apennines hills: loam and limestone, good for red wines ^[1]
• Ferrara coast: sandy poor soils, vines grow less ^[5]

Some vineyards use Guyot, Cordone Speronato or pergola systems ^[5]

The region grows both red and white grapes, 70% red 30% white ^[1]

Emilia (west):

• Reds: Lambrusco (Salamino, Grasparossa, Sorbara, Marani, Maestri, Montericco, Viadanese, Oliva), Barbera, Croatina(Bonarda), Ancellotta, Cabernet Sauvignon ^[4][5][1]
• Whites: Malvasia di Candia aromatica, Ortrugo, Spergola, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc ^[4][5][1]

Romagna (east):

• Reds: Sangiovese, Longanesi, Pagadebit, Montepulciano ^[1]
• Whites: Trebbiano Romagnolo, Albana, Biancame, Famoso, Pignoletto ^[1]

Lambrusco is sparkling or semi-sweet. There is also ancestral Lambrusco, naturally fizzy.^[1] Sangiovese can be drunk young or aged, Albana is the main white wine of Romagna ^[4][1]

Emilia-Romagna has 2 DOCG, 20 DOC and 9 IGT wines ^[1]

• Colli Piacentini: Ortrugo DOC (white), Gutturnio DOC (Barbera+Bonarda) ^[1]
• Colli di Parma: Lambrusco Maestri, Barbera, Croatina; Colli di Parma DOC ^[5][1]
• Reggio Emilia & Modena: Lambrusco Salamino, Sorbara, Grasparossa; Lambrusco DOCs ^[5][1]
• Ferrara Coast: Bosco Eliceo DOC (Fortana, “Vini delle Sabbie”) ^[1]
• Colli Bolognesi: Grechetto Gentile (Pignoletto DOCG), Barbera ^[1]
• Romagna Hills (Imola, Faenza, Forlì-Cesena, Rimini): Sangiovese (Romagna Sangiovese DOC), Albana (Romagna Albana DOCG), Pagadebit DOC, Cagnina di Romagna ^[1]

Albana di Romagna was first Italian white wine DOCG in 1987, Pignoletto Classico dei Colli Bolognesi became second DOCG in 2010 ^[1]

The region makes about 6.5–6.7 million hectoliters of wine every year, third largest in Italy.^[1] Most wines are young and fizzy because of old ways, fertile land, hot summers and local food.^[1] Sangiovese Superiore and Riserva from Romagna hills can age well ^[1]

Lambrusco is exported a lot, USA, Germany, Mexico, China, 200 million bottles every year.^[1] Main Lambrusco types:

• Lambrusco di Sorbara: rosé, light fruit ^[1]
• Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro: red, strong fruit ^[1]
• Lambrusco Salamino di Santacroce: dark red, fruity ^[1]
• Lambrusco Ancestrale: old traditional method, fizzy ^[1]