Wines of Emilia Romagna.
A short guide to Emilia Romagna traditional wines.
Emilia Romagna is the 8th producer of wines in Italy. Most of its wines are very different from the rest of the country as they are sparkling and frothy. Lambrusco being the king is goes very well with the local pork based cuisine to cut through the grease. There are also still wines such as Sangiovese which is often used in Tuscany to make Chianti. In Emilia Romagna is also possible to find internationally known grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot grigio, Merlot but the local producers tend to focus of the local grapes.
Lambrusco.
The king of Emilia wines. It can be produced in sweet, medium and dry version. Always frothy and with dark violet tones, normally drunk young. It comes from an autochthon local grape, cultivated since Roman times. Good Lambrusco is often difficult to be found abroad and it tends to be expensive. In Modena and Reggio Emilia is the wine that accompanies every dish. Nowadays many local estates produce high quality varieties that cannot be missed. It represents joy of life of this region and the love for good food. Try our wine tour in Italy
Sangiovese di Romagna.
Typical red wine from the Romagna area. It is a red and fully bodied wine delicious with meats and hard cheese. The legend wants that the first growers of this variety were the local friars who cultivated it near Mount Giove, then became Sangiovese.
Colli di Parma.
Fully bodied red wine cultivated in the Parma area on the hills between Emilia and Tuscany. It goes well with the local cured meats such as prosciutto di Parma and Culatello.
Malvasia dei colli di Parma.
It is a white wine with aromatic tones. A blend of Malvasia and Moscato, it can be of 3 different varieties: dry, medium and sweet. The sweet variety is refreshing and it can be a great accompaniment for desserts.
Barbera.
Another autochthon grape from the Parma area. It is often used as base for blends of sparkling and still red wines.
Albana di Romagna.
An internationally recognised and excellent wine. This type of grape has been cultivated in Romagna since ancient times. Smooth and crisp with hints of nuttiness. Produces as amabile, secco and passito, sometimes available as spumante. It can be found in the area between Bologna and Rimini.
Gutturnio.
Red wine still or lightly sparking produced in the Parma and Piacenza province. Normally drunk young it goes well with culatello and parma ham.
Article by Gabriele Monti