2018 Mutiliana Romagna Sangiovese - Tramazo

Mutiliana is Giorgio Melandri’s passion project to showcase the best terroirs for sangiovese in Romagna (the hyphenated-second-half of Emilia-Romagna, in north-central Italy.) Those best terroirs are in the Apennine Mountains around the town of Modigliana. It was called “Mutiliana” in Roman times - hence the name of Giorgio’s project - and sits in the center of a triangle formed by Bologna, Florence, and Rimini (a coastal resort on the Adriatic Sea). The secret sauce here is sandy soils with some limestone, rather than the more common clay-heavy soils in which most Romagna sangiovese is grown. Sand confers elegance and spice, which creates a different flavor profile than everywhere else, including Chianti Classico to the south.

Giorgio has also decided to bottle separately sangiovese from the three principal mountain valleys that radiate south from Modigliana, in order to explore their distinctive terroirs. Here we have Tramazo, the highest of the three valleys. It creates a wine that Giorgio describes as more balsamic and herbal. Farming is practicing organic. Spontaneous fermentation with 40 days of maceration is in stainless steel tanks; élevage is in concrete. The fruit is dark and spicy (as advertised!), with pronounced herbal and even amaro-ish notes, prominent acidity, and medium tannins. Drink it in a large stem with cappelletti or tortellini in brodo - or even with a nice pizza. The wine is almost five years old and in a beautiful spot now; it should continue to evolve positively for at least 3-5 years.