Tenuta La Viola "Frangipane" Romagna Albana Secco '19

We love the wines of Italy! The incredible diversity of grapes and terroir has seemingly no end. Since my trip to Emilia-Romagna in January, we have focused on the two regions and their fantastic array of wines. I went to the region specifically because I knew there to be excellent wine there, but not much of it found its way to Chicago. One of my favorite visits was with Stefano Gabellini, owner of Tenuta La Viola on the outskirts of the beautiful village of Bertinoro. His passion for Bertinoro, and the wines of his family was boundless. While red wines are truly the focus at Tenuta La Viola, I’m in love with the work they do with the local white grape variety, Albana. Albana di Romagna was first given its DOCG in 1987. The grape is highly aromatic, has an ability to gain lots of sugar, but also has lots of acidity, and a good amount of tannin in its skin. May producers use Albana for dessert wine, producing it in a passito style. Dry wine is much more difficult to produce, finding balance in a fairly unstable grape variety can be a challenge. Stefano produces two Albana Secco. This fantastic value called “Frangipane,” as well as an amphora aged version which we will feature at a later date. “Frangipane” takes its name from the Countess of Bertinoro “Aldruda Frangipane” who famously participated in the defense of Ancona which was under siege by the German imperial troops. I guess if you drank enough “Frangipane” you too would have that kind of courage! Vinification is fairly straightforward. The grapes are hand harvested and brought to the cellar in small boxes. Alcoholic fermentation and aging is done in stainless steel. It rest on its fine lees for six months before bottling. Wonderful aromatics of peach pit, a hint of pineapple and flowers. Medium weight on the palate, with bright acidity, and a long and dry finish. Enjoy this with a classic Romagna dish such as Tortelloni en Brodo.