Ramandolo

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• Monte Bernadia reaches 1,732 metres above sea level and acts as a shield against the cold tramontana winds, protecting the production zone.
• The vineyards of the Ramandolo site all face south and are situated between 250 metres at Torlano and 369 metres at Ramandolo, rising to 413 metres at Sedilis.
• Annual rainfall exceeds 2,200 millimetres over approximately 130 rainy days per year, among the highest figures recorded across the appellations of Friuli-Venezia Giulia.
• The soils consist predominantly of Eocene marls classifiable as Flysch di Cormons, known in Friulian as ponca, and Ramandolo represents the northernmost point of viticulture in Friuli.
• The hills rest against the limestone massif of Monte Bernadia, with very steep gradients that frequently exceed 30%, and the vineyards are often worked entirely by hand.
• Mean temperature stands at 13.6 degrees Celsius, with summer peaks exceeding 30 degrees, while sub-zero temperatures in winter are not uncommon.

• The earliest document attesting to the existence of the village of Ramandolo dates to July 1273, with the citation «in Villa de Ramandul».
• In 1992 the Ramandolo subzone was recognised within the Colli Orientali del Friuli DOC, and was subsequently elevated to DOCG status by Ministerial Decree of 9 October 2001, the first in the region.
• Harvest is late, with drying carried out on the vine, in crates, or on drying racks, and in favourable vintages noble rot (Botrytis cinerea) develops.

• The wine is golden in colour, lightly tannic, full-bodied and off-dry, with aromas of acacia and ripe fruit such as plum and apricot, and mountain honey.
• Total acidity is good, while volatile acidity, characteristic of vini da meditazione made with appassimento, may reach above-average levels without appearing unbalanced, given the wine's high structural concentration.

• The ponca, a poor marly soil derived from the Flysch di Cormons, limits the vegetative vigour of the vine and rewards qualitative expression in Verduzzo friulano rather than excessive vegetative growth.

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

All appellations in Italy

Sources

• Specification (EUR-Lex, single document)
• eAmbrosia register (EU) — File number PDO-IT-A0939
• Official trade body site — Consorzio Tutela Vini Friuli Colli Orientali e Ramandolo