Colli Euganei

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The Colli Euganei are hills of volcanic origin with a typically conical shape, rising as a group from the Po Plain within the Parco dei Colli Euganei, a nature reserve of nearly 19,000 ha.
• The altitude at which most vineyards are found ranges from 50 to 300 metres above sea level, reaching up to nearly 400 metres.
• The climate of the Colli Euganei is temperate with near-Mediterranean thermal conditions, mild winters, warm and dry summers, and good diurnal temperature variation, with frequent thermal inversions on clear days that make the hillside zones warmer than the surrounding plain.
• Average annual rainfall ranges between 700 and 900 mm, with two peak periods in spring and autumn, while the prevailing winds come from the NNE, NE, and N at low speeds and frequencies.
• The soils derive from the breakdown of volcanic rocks; they have good skeletal content, are well drained, and are rich in minerals and trace elements, with differentiated soil types among volcanics, sedimentary rocks, and alluvial deposits.

• Archaeological terracotta finds associated with wine consumption, dating to the pre-Roman civilisation of the 7th–6th century BC, provide the earliest evidence of the vine and wine in the Colli Euganei.
• The local nobility were among the first in Veneto, after 1850, to introduce Merlot and Cabernet — varieties that subsequently adapted well to the pedoclimatic conditions of the area.
• Agricultural records from 1879 already document the presence of native varieties such as Moscato and Serprino in the Colli Euganei.
• The wines of the Colli Euganei received DOC recognition as Colli Euganei by Presidential Decree of 13 August 1969.

• The red wines display a more or less intense ruby colour with violet highlights, sometimes taking on garnet tones with age, and a fragrant nose with notes of red fruits, cherry, ripe fruit, spice, fresh or dried herbs, tobacco, or toasty character.
• The red wines of the Colli Euganei show optimal phenolic ripeness which, combined with a good sugar-to-acid balance, yields wines of high structure, harmony among their components, and a notably soft palate.
• Moscato, the aromatic variety characteristic of the area, displays a distinctive balance of extract and sugars with notes of peach, banana, lemongrass, geranium, sage, and rose.

• The temperate climate and diurnal temperature variation favour the development of aromatic precursors in the white wines, enhancing the floral and fruity character typical of the grape varieties.
• The soils derived from volcanic rocks, well supplied with nutrients yet yielding modest crop levels, allow the achievement of medium-to-high sugar levels and good acid balance in the wines.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the source.

All appellations in Italy

Sources

• eAmbrosia register (EU) — File number PDO-IT-A0454
• Official trade body site — Consorzio Tutela Vini Colli Euganei