From Dozza to the Colli Bolognesi DOC

I am leaving Dozza in the morning ... but with a smile on my face ... I am not going away... I know I am going to come back later on to spend a last night here!

Today I have visited another couple of wineries in the area above Faenza, which includes the Colli Bolognesi DOC famous for Sangiovese and its blends with Cabernet and other grapes. These blends are often called "SuperRomagna" or "SuperEmilians" by the locals, which aim to compare them with SuperTuscans...!

Outside Faenza, in a small tortuous country road, is located the estate TreRe. I was welcomed by the owner, who opened a few bottles and led the tasting.

The other estate, La Berta, was an interesting one. The owner was busy with other customers. What he did was extremely surprising: he gave me 3 bottles, as a sample of his wine production, and advised me to go to his friend's restaurant for dinner to try them! Of course, I had to do this...!

The result was amazing. The restaurant's owner prepared for me a huge variety of local dishes. I opened the 3 bottles and tasted the wines as I usually do (spitting them and without food). Then I matched the wines with each dish and tried the different combinations.

These are my notes.
Following the description of each wine is the cost in Euro (1 Euro = 1US $) and the score I assigned to the wine, based on a maximum of 100 points.

Wines from TreRe:

1) Albana di Romagna secco Vigna della Compadrona 2002
Albana 100% (half harvested in September, half harvested in November)
A good balance and structure for this young white Albana. On the nose it is fairly intense and elegant.
E7 84/100

2) Sangiovese di Romagna Superiore Vigna dello Sperone 2002
Sangiovese 100%
E7 81/100

3) Colli di Faenza Sangiovese Renero 2002
Sangiovese 100%
On the nose it presents notes of jam and ripe red fruit. Good tannins balanced with a noticeable soft touch.
E8 87/100

Wines from La Berta:

1) Floresco 2002 IGT Ravenna Trebbiano
E6 80/100

2) Solano Sangiovese 2003
Sangiovese 90% Cabernet 10%
Warm and structured. Oak is barely noticeable and the finish is elegant with notes of chocolate.
E8 84/100

3) Ca' di Berta Rosso 2000 Colli di Faenza
Cabernet Sauvignon 60% Sangiovese 40%
Complex bouquet with notes of prune, cherry jam, spices, vanilla.
E15 88/100

4) Infavato 2001 Bianco Dolce Vdt (white, sweet, late harvest)
Malvasia 100%
I enjoyed the good balance between sugars and acidity. Well structured with a long finish with a touch of almonds.
E13 (0.500 Lt.) 88/100

Dishes from Ristorante Valsellustra:

• Bruschetta con Lardo di colonnata (typical thick fat cut which is the shoulder of the pork)
• Prosciutto tagliato a mano (hand cut Prosciutto)
• Culatella (the best part of the pork's leg from which is then derived prosciutto)
• Bruschette con pate di fegato di volatile (with pate of bird's liver)
• Tortelli al tarassoco (a medicinal plant with yellow flower garnished with thyme)
• Tagliata di manzo (special cut of beef served very raw!)
• Ghiacciata di fragole (strawberry's demi glaze)

Agricolture Museum at TreRe winery

Peacocks and Sangiovese at TreRe Winery

TreRe Cellars

Tasting at TreRe winery

Sangiovese vineyards at La Berta

The famous cutting of Prosciutto by hands at Ristorante Valsellustra

The collection of Bruschette at Ristorante Valsellustra

Tasting at Ristorante Valsellustra