Sabbioneta

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The zone lies between the river Oglio and the river Po in the province of Mantova, within the territories of the communes of Sabbioneta, Viadana, and Commessaggio, in a mid-plain area at elevations between 13 and 36 metres above sea level.
• The outcropping soils are of alluvial origin and attributable to the recent Quaternary, in particular to the Upper Pleistocene and the Holocene, when the Po and its tributaries deposited their sediments.
• Soils situated along the banks of ancient river courses have a sandy or sandy-silty texture, are deep and well-drained, moderately calcareous at the surface, and strongly calcareous at depth.
• In the low-lying valley areas the soil texture is clayey, with deep and poorly developed soils, while in the areas between the ridges and the valleys the texture ranges from sandy loam to clay loam.
• The climate, ranging from sub-humid to sub-arid, is characterised by high mean summer temperatures with sultry conditions caused in part by high humidity, by autumn and winter fogs, and by harsh winters with late spring frosts, while rainfall is concentrated in autumn and spring.
• The Po creates a hydrogeological unit that feeds the aquifers of a wide area, with the first water table found at depths of between 8 and 25 metres.

• Vine cultivation in the area dates back to ancient times, attested by the poet Virgil, who mentions its existence, and continues through to more recent row-trained techniques.
• An important variety for viticulture in the zone is Lambrusco Viadanese, which takes its name from the commune of Viadana in the province of Mantova where it is most widely grown.

• The alluvial soils, fertile and moisture-retentive, on which the vine is cultivated define the organoleptic character of the area's wine production.

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 PGI-IT-A1082
• Official trade body site — Consorzio Vini Mantovani