dell'Emilia

Italy · IGT (PGI) · Emilia-Romagna · 213 commune(s)

Styles

Natural factors

The plain extends at elevations typically ranging from 2 to 70 m above sea level, from the Po river to the Adriatic coast, and into the broad Apennine valley floors where altitudes of up to 150 m above sea level are reached.
In the Apennine uplands, elevations range from 100 to 2,200 metres, though vineyards are found predominantly below 600 metres, where sedimentary rocks such as sandstones, clays, limestones, gypsum, sands, and conglomerates prevail.
The climate ranges from temperate sub-continental — the most significant for the vine-growing areas — to temperate cool, with mean annual temperatures in the plain of around 14–16 °C and annual rainfall of between 600 and 800 mm.
As altitude increases, rainfall rises from around 800 mm along the Apennine margin facing the plain to over 2,000 mm in the upper Apennines, with a parallel increase in the number of rain days.
Near Ferrara, deltaic and coastal-plain soils are found at elevations below sea level with shallow hydromorphism, an environment where the variety Fortana has traditionally been widely grown.
The soils of the Bologna territory to the right of the Sillaro river are very deep, medium-textured, slightly to moderately calcareous in the worked horizon and strongly calcareous in the deeper horizons, and neutral to mildly alkaline in reaction.

Human factors

The Lambrusco varieties are considered the oldest grape varieties in the region, of Etruscan origin and genetically closer to the wild vine from which they were selected.
Two ancient training systems spread across the territory: the arbustum gallicum, married to living supports and suited to the fertile plain, and the vinea characatae, of Greek origin, suited to the hillside areas.
In 1300, Pier de' Crescenzi listed around thirty grape and wine varieties produced in Emilia, from the plain to the mountains, including Trebbiano, Grechetto gentile ('Pignuolo'), and the lambrusche.

Product characteristics

The colour of the wines ranges from golden yellow to amber in the whites and through to garnet red, depending on the grape variety used for production.
The nose is delicate and characteristic, with notes of dried grape, sometimes spiced, recalling honey and ripe fruit.
The palate is full and harmonious and can range from dry to sweet, though wine types with a higher residual sugar content generally predominate.

Terroir / wine link

The marked day-to-night temperature variation during ripening, combined with predominantly sub-alkaline to alkaline, fine- or moderately fine-textured soils, yields wines that are aromatic and rich in polyphenols.
The appassimento of grapes destined for passito wines is favoured by the pronounced diurnal temperature range recorded during the late-summer and autumn period.

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

About this boundary · approximate area

Approximate area — the union of the administrative units named in the document (Eurostat GISCO or national cadastre boundaries).