From the flood to the rebirth, the 2023 harvest of Romagna, in the glasses of “Vini ad Arte 2024”

From the flood to the rebirth: the 2023 harvest, the annus horribilis of Romagna, has finally arrived in the glasses of “Vini ad Arte 2024”, the Preview that the Consorzio Vini di Romagna dedicates every year to Albana and Sangiovese , as per tradition, in Faenza, in recent days. And if the conditions were catastrophic due to the flood that covered an important part of the Region in mud just a year ago and its consequences (landslides that destroyed vineyards or prevented them from reaching them, plants under water even for weeks) added on the hail, the whirlwind and the pressure of pathogens that the obstacles of water and land have made difficult to combat promptly, on the other hand the results are far from catastrophic. Production was certainly decreasing, but in limited numbers, even compared to the national average. Furthermore, the vine has shown surprising resilience even in such extreme cases and has produced healthy and structurally well-equipped bunches. In the glass, both the Albana and the Sangiovese proved to be of good quality, even more convincing than previous vintages, but for the majority of the Sangiovese we have to wait at least until autumn to know the result for the wines from Sottozona, on which the denomination he invested a lot, and at least two years for the Reserves.
Going down to amore in-depth analysis of grape production, presented by the leaders of the Consorzio Vini di Romagna, the president Roberto Monti and the director Filiberto Mazzanti, in Emilia-Romagna in 2023 stands at 8,323,176 quintals produced against the 8,443,933 in 2022 – already decreasing due to the drought – for a difference of -1% which rises to -5% on the 2018-2022 average of 8,734,423 quintals. From Romagna Albana Docg (which includes the types of Secco, Amabile, Dolce, Passito and Passito Riserva, with yields reduced to 100 quintals per hectare and a minimum of 95% of the vine in the bottle) 7,077 hectoliters were produced from the 768 hectares, equal to 943,600 bottles, similar to the 2022 production with 7,171 hectoliters and 956,133 bottles and increasing on 2020 (5,673 hectoliters and 756,400 bottles) and 2021 (6,867 hectoliters and 915,600 bottles). From Romagna Sangiovese Doc from the 5,890 hectares, 67,640 hectoliters were produced, equal to 9 million bottles, a clear decrease on 2022 (75,399 hectoliters and 10.1 million bottles), on 2021 (81,548 hectoliters and 10.9 million bottles) and on 2020 ( 86,310 hectoliters and 11.5 million bottles). On the other hand, the bottled wine claimed in Romagna Sangiovese Sottozona is increasing, which since its recognition of 12 territories in 2011 and a further 4 from 2022 (which reduced yields to 90 quintals per hectare with the minimum of Sangiovese at 95%) has never stopped growing (apart from the halt due to the uncertainty of Covid in 2021): 4,224 hectoliters produced, equal to 563,200 bottles, out of the 3,878 hectoliters and 517,067 bottles produced in 2022.
Obviously Romagna production is not limited to Albana, which thanks to its polyphenolic concentration, high acidity and high sugar accumulation capacity can be interpreted in different ways, with stylistic evolutions to which producers have been dedicating themselves extensively in the last decade, and to Sangiovese, increasingly valued by companies, also thanks to the Subzones, which provided elements of orientation and recognition (but above all of comparison between producers). There is also the Trebbiano, whose production is overall constant both in terms of vineyard (around 14,000 hectares) and hectoliters claimed as DOC: 8,775 hectoliters for 1.2 million bottles, a slight decrease compared to 2022, but in line with 2021 and 2020 (the remaining part becomes the sparkling base for the Doc Romagna Spumante, also with the recent collective brand Novebolle – 4,532 hectoliters produced for 604,267 bottles – or bulk wine). The denomination a bubbly wine claims the highest production compared to the other DOCs (Pagadebit 255,067 bottles; Cagnina 529,733 bottles; Colli d’Imola 246,133 bottles; Faenza 11,333 bottles; Romagna Centrale 33,067 bottles and Rimini 393,333 bottles). But all the Docs pale in size compared to theIgt Rubiconewhich claims 671,498 hectolitres, equal to almost 90 million bottles (Igt which joins the smaller Forlì, Ravenna and Sillaro).
The entire production area of ​​Romagna Albana Docg and Romagna Sangiovese Sottozona are located south of the Via Emilia, with the exception of an overshoot to the north in the Imola area for Albana and to the south in the Rimini area for Sangiovese. This means that value has been given to the hills and the Apennine part of the region, exploiting their altitudes, exposures, ventilation and the different composition of the soils. The work of subdivision into subzones started in 2011 (certainly improvable and not yet concluded – but for this reason the Consortium has given itself around twenty years of time to reach a certain maturity of the project) of such a vast territory for Sangiovese has given the companies the opportunity to delve into the peculiar pedoclimatic characteristics of one’s area and to work so that the relative suitability is increasingly perceivable. The main objective is obviously not to create better or worse territories within the DOC, but to provide an orientation tool for consumers and allow companies to create their own internal quality pyramid.
A recent estimate by the Consortium (based on price analyzes of the Regional Enoteca and various e-commerce sites) assessed how the Romagna Sangiovese Sottozona prices are higher by 2.5-3.5 euros on the Romagna Sangiovese Superiore, and how the same happens from 3.5 to 5 euros for the Reserves. Furthermore, the companies that claim the Subzones have increased (25 more producers in the last 4 years) and today they exceed 80 units. Data which confirms how positive the path undertaken was in recognizing the sub-area of ​​Imola, Serra, Brisighella, Marzena and Oriolo in the Faentino area, Modigliana, Castrocaro, Predappio, Mendola and Bertinoro in the Forlivese area, Mercato Saraceno, Cesena and Longiano in the Cesenate area and Verrucchio, Coriano and San Clemente in the Rimini area.
The climate trend of 2023 it generated a less hot year in 2022 but, as we know, rainfall concentrated in May with dramatic consequences for the entire territory. As has often happened in recent years, a “roller coaster” trend in temperatures has also recurred: with a hot and dry winter which anticipated budding, the return of cold and frosts in March and April with a rise in temperatures at the end of April , floods in May and lower temperatures, rise in temperatures at the beginning of June which caused high vigor and poor fruit set, heat in August and September which shortened the ripening period, returning from the expected 20 days of delay in the harvest to 10-12 days for whites and 7-8 days for reds. The vineyards, however, have held up well, producing bunches with low pH and high acidity, with slightly lower alcohol content and interesting aromatic profiles. This was found in the Romagna Albana Superiore Secco 2023 (presented with 21 samples out of 28, accompanied by the 16 Passito versions) and in the samples of Romagna Sangiovese Superiore (10 present out of 79). Overall and across vintages and types, the Albana samples were more satisfactory than the Sangiovese ones, in terms of harmony and smoothness.

Here you are the best tastings selected by the WineNews editorial team, chosen from the 123 samples for tasting between Romagna Albana Secco and Passito and Romagna Sangiovese Superiore, Sottozona and the related Riserva versions. There are 50 wineries, among which we highlight the total absence of winemakers who claim the Modigliana sub-area:

Docg Romagna Albana
Giovannini, Docg Romagna Albana Secco Gioja 2023
Intense in color, it smells of cedar, broom, citrus fruits and iodine, which are added to white melon and chamomile on the soft, taut and full sip

Podere Morini, Docg Romagna Albana Secco Sette Note 2023
White citrus fruits, lime flowers and white almonds, for a clear but tasty wine, markedly savory, with a pleasantly minty finish

Tenuta La Viola, Docg Romagna Albana Secco Frangipane 2023
Deeper and more structured version of Albana, with a metallic timbre and the balsamic nature of undergrowth; sinks into the palate, clinging for a long time, savory

Tre Monti, Docg Romagna Albana Secco Vigna Rocca 2023
Less demanding than Vitalba, this is a full-bodied Albana, pulpy, with a spicy character and well balanced with the balsamic, fruity and floral contribution

Podere La Grotta, Docg Romagna Albana Secco Damadora 2023
It has the clear aromas of apple, pear, broom and sage; in the mouth there is the sweetness of the white melon, the savory persistence and the citrus smoothness

Poderi dal Nespoli, Docg Romagna Albana Campodora 2023
It has developed more vegetal notes, which balance well with the sweetness of vanilla and citrus acidity; the sip is very central, with a salt-pepper contrast

Umberto Cesari, Docg Romagna Albana Secco Colle del Re 2023
The spices make it interesting, saffron above all, together with the floral contribution of chamomile: an opulent nose that accompanies a smaller but harmonious sip

Tenuta Uccellina, Docg Romagna Albana Passito Soprano 2022
Beeswax, iodine, walnut, honey: a dense and obviously sweet wine, with a pronounced citrus vein, which leaves the mouth very clean at the end of the sip

Fattoria del Monticino Rosso, Docg Romagna Albana Passito 2020
A squeeze of citrus fruits and mint gives liveliness to the sweet floral nose and the spicy and intensely balsamic mouth; dense, flows very well

Fattoria Zerbina, Docg Romagna Albana Passito AR 2019
Fig leaf, prickly pear, ripe apricot, broom, orange honey, catmint and much more as the minutes pass; intense and soft in the mouth, it does not give in to complexity and structure

Doc Romagna Sangiovese
Noelia Ricci, Doc Romagna Superiore Sangiovese 2023
Small berries, bramble, camellia, raw blood notes, undergrowth balms: together to anticipate a tense and central sip, lively with white pepper and again sweet camellia

Terre Cevico, Doc Romagna Verrucchio Tre Miracoli 2023
Clear and crisp, it smells of violets and raspberries, with a touch of aromatic herbs; in the mouth it has pulp and grip, flavor and freshness

Zavalloni, Doc Romagna Superiore 2023
Dark and clear aromas of undergrowth, violet and blackberry, with blood notes; it widens on the sip with peppery grip, closing sweet with violet candy

Piccolo Brunelli, Doc Romagna Predappio Cesco 1938 2022
There is a lot of undergrowth and a wild soul, with hints of tamarind, in this Sangiovese, which spreads material but gentle, warm and savory in the finish

Tenuta De Stefenelli, Doc Romagna Superiore Rondò 2022
Talc, black cherry and vanilla, it starts off sweet on the nose; sweetness that remains in the mouth, adding a savory and smooth structure and a final acidic tension

Raffaella Bissoni, Doc Romagna Bertinoro Girapoggio 2021
Raw sip, sweet with black cherry, fresh with eucalyptus, spicy with leather, turns on the fruity side in the mouth, maintaining depth, grip and warmth for a long time

Condé, Doc Romagna Predappio Raggio Brusa Riserva 2021
Perfumes with a broad texture of earth, iodine and red flowers, introduce a very similar sip, which flows sweet and full, tannic enough not to be forgotten

Fattoria Nicolucci, Doc Romagna Predappio di Predappio Vigna del Generale Riserva 2021
It is always a certainty, with its nuances layered in the aromas and flavors, with that touch of tar that makes it a little dark after so much fruit, flowers, Mediterranean scrub and citrus fruits

Giovanna Madonia, Doc Romagna Bertinoro Ombroso Riserva 2021
A bit of elegant decadence, with macerated flowers and iodine reigning supreme: in the mouth it is tasty and very mineral, welcoming like a sunset

Tenuta Masselina, Doc Romagna Serra Riserva 2021
It has the astringency and sweetness of raspberry, including leaves and brambles, then blood and spicy notes, which are also found in the sip, which is material and extremely citrusy