Hidden Gems of Emilia-Romagna: The Wines of Poderi dal Nespoli

Let’s start the weekend on an exploration of the wines of the Emilia-Romagna wine region in north central Italy with a focus on the Nespoli winery. Recently I attended a virtual wine tasting led by wine educator, Filippo Bartolotta, and the winemaker of Nespoli, Scipione Giuliani.   Despite the reputation of of its surrounding neighbors, Emilia-Romagna is one of Italy's underappreciated wine regions so lets change that one bottle at a time starting with Poderi dal Nespoli.

All About the Nespoli winery 

The Nespoli winery is tucked into the rolling hills in the Romagna part of the region. Even though Emilia-Romagna is technically one region, they associate as two separate regions. If you’ve traveled throughout Italy you understand that each region has its own wine, cuisines and even dialect so these differences can be noticeable as you journey throughout the country. 

Romagna is about an hour drive north from Florence.   This area is part of the via Emilia, which is an ancient Roman military road dating as far back as 181 BC.  The road travels a few hundred kilometers and borders the Appennine Mountains in the south to the northern lowlands known as the Pianura Padana.   

Nespoli was originally founded in 1929 and is one of the brands owned by the Argea Group, Italy’s largest private group, that also owns Zaccagnini in Abruzzo and Ricossa and Cuvage in Piedmont. 

The White Wines of Nespoli 

The white wines I tasted from Nespoli include their indigenous Albana along with their Chardonnay.  The Albana grape is one that is only found in this region.  The Albana di Romagna DOCG was one of the first white DOCG’s established in 1987.  It can be produced in a number of different styles, but is mostly found in a dry style.  These grapes carry a lot of acidity and are semi-aromatic with notes of citrus, tropical fruits and apricots.   

The 2023 Nespoli Scanade Albana di Romagna DOCG Secco is made from 100% Albana grapes.  It’s a bone dry wine that is fermented 70% in stainless steel and 30% in barrique.  It’s then aged 2 months in barrique with 12 months in the bottle.  This is a new wine for the Nespoli winery that is a project in conjunction with wine expert, Ricardo Cotarella.  The grapes are hand harvested and gently hand selected on a table with care.  This wine was brilliant straw colored.  Light to medium bodied, dry and crisp with notes of lemon pith and a slight bitterness.  The minerality shows up nicely towards the finish.ABV 12%, SRP $35 

The 2023 Nespoli Lostar Forli IGT Chardonnay is fermented 30% in barrique and aged 5 months in barrique with partial malolactic.  Brilliant straw colored.  A hint of vanilla and apple aromas.  Medium-bodied on the palate with notes of apple nicely balanced with acidity. ABV 13%, SRP $39 (not currently available). 

The Red Wines of Nespoli 

Moving on to the Nespoli red wines we will start with my favorite of the pick. The 2021 Nespoli “Il Nespoli” Romagna DOC Sangiovese Superiore Riserva is made from 100% Sangiovese.  Scipione said that this is their best label of the winery and I would agree.  The wine is fermented in stainless steel and aged 12 months in French oak.  Deeper ruby in color with aromas of dark cherry, blackberries and licorice.  Medium to full-bodied and very smooth and elegant on the palate.  Nicely structured with soft tannin and rich in ripe cherries and a touch of vanilla.  ABV 14.5%, SRP $49 

This next wine they have been making since the early 80’s.  The 2020 Nespoli Borgo dei Guidi Rubicone IGT is a blend of 70% Sangiovese and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon.  The Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards are made from 40-year-old vines.  The wine is vinified in stainless steel and aged 8-10 months in barrique.  Dark fruits of blackberries and plums on the nose.  Full-bodied and structured with dark fruits showing nicely on the palate.  This wine is well balanced.  A touch of oak showing on the finish.  ABV 14%, SRP $45 

The 2022 Nespoli Gualdo Romagna DOC Sangiovese Predappio Biosimbiotico is made from 100% Sangiovese.  It’s vinified and aged in stainless steel at least 10 months.  This is an organic wine from their single vineyard in the Predappio sub zone.  Deeper ruby in color with aromas of black cherry, violet and licorice.  Medium to full-bodied with dark cherries on the palate.  Delicate tannins and good acidity.  ABV 13.5%, SRP $39 

The 2023 Nespoli Prugneto Romagna DOC Sangiovese Superiore is their highest produced wine.  Another single vineyard and organic wine, it is vinified and aged in stainless steel with 30% aged several months in large oak casks.  Ruby colored with aromas of forest fruits.  Dry and full-bodied on the palate showing juicy dark fruits, especially blueberries.  Moderate in tannin and a presence of oak on the finish. ABV 13.5%, SRP $18 

From the richer character of their Sangiovese to the crisp, food friendly whites, Nespoli's wines offer a compelling window into a wine region that rewards the curious drinkers willing to explore.

Importers: A number of these wines are imported by Kindred Vines Import Co along with Grace Imports. These wines were provided as samples, but opinions are always my own.

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Valentine’s Day Amore: Sharing Luigi Righetti Amarone della Valpolicella

Valentine’s Day doesn’t always mean red roses and candlelit dinners with that special someone.  For me, this year, I celebrated an early Valentine’s Day in a very special way, with the woman who taught me what love was all about, my mom.  My family and I surprised her for her birthday, bringing dinner and dessert while enjoying a special bottle of a 2004 Luigi Righetti Amarone Della Valpolicella.   

As we pulled the cork on this 20-year-old bottle, I couldn’t help but think of all the memories we shared over the years including our travels to this special region of the Veneto where Amarone Della Valpolicella is produced, although this wasn‘t one of the bottles that we brought back with us.  I’m actually still sitting on those and it’s been quite a while since we traveled there together.  More to come on those gems. 

Luigi Righetti winery 

Luigi Righetti winery is located in Valgatara, within the Valpolicella Classico zone, just outside the town of Marano.  Angelo Righetti established the winery back in 1909 and today it is run by the 5th generation, Gianmaria and Giuseppe, along with their father Luigi who is still active in the winery today assisting in running the operations.  Luigi originally took over winemaking in the 40’s.  In 1985 Gianmaria began to focus on single vineyard productions and making wines that would carry an international appeal. 

About Amarone della Valpolicella wines 

The Valpolicella wine region, where Amarone is produced, stretches from Lake Garda in the east that borders Lombardy towards the wine territory of Soave and north of Verona.  Amarone wines are some of the most distinctive and prestigious wines of Italy.  They are powerful, concentrated, structured and complex with a fascinating production process which includes the drying of grapes known as the appassimento process. 

copyright of the Consorzio Tutela Vini Valpolicella

Amarone translates to ”little bitter one”.  Its counterpart from the same region is another wine known as Recioto Della Valpolicella.  While the fermentation process of Amarone carries on for a lengthy time, the fermentation process for the wines of Recioto della Valpolicella is stopped for these wines to retain a higher level of sugar. 

The grapes used in the production of Amarone can vary based on the producer, but include 45-95% Corvina and/or Corvinone for its acidity, body, and cherry flavors, 5-30% Rondinella for its tannin and color and up to 25% of other grapes including Molinara. 

What is the appassimento process? It is the drying process of the grapes that takes place in drying rooms known as the fruttaio where the grapes are laid out in crates or straw mats.  They are left there for about 100-120 days until about the January/February timeframe. This process, as you can imagine, concentrates the sugars and dries the grapes, making them more raisin like.  Following this process, the grapes are then vinified for another 30-50 days for a slow fermentation of the grapes due to the high sugar content.  They are then aged for 2 years in oak or 4 years in oak if they are riserva.  The end result are wines that are dry and complex with a high alcohol content climbing around 15-17%.    

One of the wineries I visited way back showing the appassimento process

How to travel to the Valpolicella wine region 

If you have yet to travel to the Valpolicella wine region, it’s a short trip outside Verona.  To reach it’s southern borders, you are only a few miles outside the city.  To get to the historic heart of the Valpolicella wine region, the Valpolicella Classico zone, it will take you about 20-30 minutes north of Verona into the hills of towns like Marano, Fumane, Negrar, Sant’ Ambrogio di Valpolicella and San Pierre in Cariano to name a few.   

The Wine 

It was interesting to see the bottle of Amarone from Luigi Righetti labeled as an Amarone DOC.  The designation wasn’t upgraded to a DOCG until 2010.   

This bottle of Capitel de’ Roari Amarone was produced from various plots of lands with the best grapes selected for this blend.  The grapes are dried until the January/February time frame and then fermented in steel basins until July/August.  It is then aged for 3 years in part oak barrels and part French barrique. 

The 2004 Luigi Righetti Capitel de’ Roari Amarone DOC Classico was more brick in color, mostly due to its age.  Rich in dried fruits aromas.  Full-bodied with concentrated notes of cherries and raspberries with a slight herbal note.  A solid backbone acidity still stood with over 20 years of age on this wine, and the tannins had become quite silky.  It took some time for this to open up so always make sure you give these wines their due. ABV 15%, SRP $40 (some of the newer bottles I saw were priced) 

I couldn’t find a specific technical sheet on the blend used in this particular vintage, but some of the more recent vintages include 80% Corvina and 20% Rondinella.  For those of you that are savvy 

Amarone wines are highly age worthy, and I've found that no matter the age, they all will benefit with some time opened in advance or watch it evolve in the glass while tasting which is always fun.

This month our World Wine Travel group (#WorldWineTravel) is featuring Valentine wines from around the world.  Read the variety of other selections this Valentine's Day and choose one to try for yourself.

• A Love Letter to Wine by Side Hustle Wino

• Chef's Private Dinner at our Resort in Mexico by Our Good Life

• Fair Verona and the Romance of Valpolicella from Crushed Grape Chronicles

• J'aime partager le vin et la vie avec vous from A Day in the Life on the Farm

• Pretty in Pink: Italian Wines Paired with International Flavors by Culinary Cam 

• Valentine's Day Wines: A Wine for Everyone to Love by Wineivore

You can find other Amarone della Valpolicella wines to try on Wine.com.  I may receive compensation for any wines purchased through the affiliate link in support of the operations of Vino Travels.  

Also, in light of Valentine's Day, if you didn't know I had written a book on my husband and I's wedding that I planned in Tuscany called "Planning Your Dream Wedding in Tuscany".  If you know someone looking to get married in Italy or just want to check it out, you can find it on Amazon for sale. 

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Light Meets Hearty: Schiava Paired with Ham and Lentil Soup

Nestled in the northeastern part of Italy, the Alto Adige produces some of Italy’s most underappreciated wines.  It’s a beautiful, serene environment with the Alpine backdrop looming over the sun-drenched valleys.  The Alto Adige, also known as Sudtirol due to its Germanic influences, provides a bicultural experience between Italian and German that is experienced in both the language, food and wines of the region.   

What I can appreciate about the wines being produced in the Alto Adige is the purity found in the wines.  Many of the wines of the region are produced as single varietals, and the winemakers make efforts to let the grapes shine and to lend that sense of place. 

The merger of two historic cooperatives that took place in 2001 to form Cantina Bozen shapes the view of how cooperatives can produce world-class wine.  With over 200 small local wine growing families all contributing to growing quality grapes to demonstrate the capabilities of the land surrounding Bolzano is what makes these wines so special.  While following strict guidelines and criteria, these producers are able to band together and share the treasures of the land where they may not normally be able to do so on their own. 

Cantina Bolzano / Kellerei Bozen

Grapes of the Alto Adige 

Today’s feature is on the indigenous grape, Schiava, and Pinot Nero, both common grapes found in the wines of the Alto Adige.  Schiava, also called Vernatsch in German, along with Lagrein that I’ve previously featured from Cantina Bolzano, produces red wines that are lighter in body. For those of you that enjoy red wines in the summer, but don’t want wines with a heavier body, Schiava is a great option.  It’s nice to give it a slight chill as well.  Schiava produces wines that show freshness with bright red fruits.  They tend to be delicate with low tannin, but that carries moderate acidity.  They carry floral aromas, violets, and almonds are common notes.   

Pinot Nero, which is also the same as Pinot Noir, is also called Blauburgunder in the area.  This is a grape that needs higher altitudes and in the cooler climate of the Alto Adigeit doesn't allow the wines to turn jammy.  These wines are approachable in their youth and show notes of red fruits including cherry and strawberry.  You will also get some earthiness and hints of spice no herbs. They are medium-bodied with bright acidity and elegant tannins. 

The Wines of Cantina Bolzano 

The two wines I tried from Kellerei Bozen was a Schiava and Lagrein blend as well as a Pinot Nero.  I paired the Schiava as you'll see with a ham and lentil soup.  The Pinot Nero I brought along with me on my cruise with my family to the Caribbean a couple months back. 

The 2023 Kellerei Bozen/Cantina Bolzano “Huck am Bach” St. Magdalena‘s Alto Adige DOC is made up of 90% Schiava and 10% Lagrein grown in gravelly soils of a 5-hectare vineyard in the Santa Magdalena zone.

Santa Maddalena hills and the city of Bolzano - Copyright: Vini Alto Adige/Tiberio Sorvillo

This wine is aged in large oak vats. Lightly ruby in color, rather transparent in the glass. Aromas of ripe black cherries with hints of violet.  On the palate it's a lighter to medium bodied wine showing nice red fruits (cherry) with juicy acidity.  It's rather soft and smooth on the palate with a lasting finish.  ABV 13%, SRP $22-23. 

The 2023 Kellerei Bozen/Cantina Bolzano Pinot Nero Alto Adige DOC grown in the slopes of Renton and Oberleitach.  It’s fermented in stainless steel and about 40% is spent in oak for a short time. The Pinot Nero was pale ruby in color and rather translucent.  Light-bodied and easy drinking, the wine was smooth and balanced with dark fruit, especilly blackberries that stood out. ABV 13%, SRP $25.

Pairing Schiava with Ham and Lentil soup  

I try to make soup more often in the cold winter months and when thinking up what to pair with the Schiava I thought a ham and lentil soup would be ideal.  I had just prepared a ham, so I used the leftover trimmings in preparation of the soup.  Ham and lentil soup is so easy to prepare while so filling.   

I started out sautéing carrots and celery for about 5 minutes.  You can add onion, but no one except myself is a fan.  Once softened, I added about 4 cups of both water and chicken broth along with some spices to include garlic powder, a bay leaf, pepper, and paprika.  Once brought to a boil I added the ham bone and simmered for about an hour.  After the soup was simmered, I removed the ham bone and chopped it up into pieces and added it back to the soup.  Voila!   

Schiava is commonly paired in the Alto Adige with speck, a smoked ham, so possibly that is the reason it went so well with this soup.  The red fruit helped cut through the richness of the ham and complemented the earthiness of the lentils.  In the Alto Adige, they also pair Schiava with canaderli, which are bread dumplings I've shared once before when I paired them with Muller Thurgau. I tried these once when I was visiting Trento.  

This pairing reminded me that Alto Adige wines are very much food friendly.  With Cantina Bolzano’s authentic expression of terroir, it proves that memorable pairings can come from simple foods and honest wines. 

Copyright: Vini Alto Adige/Florian Andergassen

You can find other wines from the Alto Adige on Wine.com to try.  I may receive compensation for any wines purchased through the affiliate link in support of Vino Travels. 

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*These wines were provided as a sample, but opinions are always my own.