Poderi Morini

Alessandro Morini is a dynamic winegrower, speaking with him is always refreshing: he is always going 100 mph and his desire to experiment and find new ways to express his volcanic creativity is remarkable. But what amazes is the passion that binds him to his land, which results, as well as in numerous art initiatives mainly related to the Faenza’s pottery, in a production that deals almost exclusively on Romagna native grapes—there is a little bit of Merlot in the Nadel, but nothing else. The winery is situated among the hills of Oriolo dei Fichi, above Faenza, an area that over the years has earned a deserved reputation, thanks to the supple elegance of the Sangiovese made here.

The vines are trained with Guyot and spurred cordon, there is no organic certification, but chemical treatments are very limited. Short pruning and low yields are the key for a good, fruity Sangiovese Riserva—Nonno (Grandpa) Rico—while for the Albana grape we have the traditional pergola romagnola.

By now, the barriques are used only for raisin (passiti) wines like Albana and Centesimino, while the red ones usually age in 500 liters Slavonian oak barrels, which make the wines crispier and less woody. In addition to the classic Sangiovese, we have a good production of Centesimino, dry and sweet, Albana, Trebbiano and Longanesi, a big, brawny, tannic wine perfect for grilled meat and sausages. But along all this tradition, in this winery there is great excitement: the novelty of this year is the iper-oxygenation of the Albana, for now limited to the dry one, but that will give the opportunity to develop even more aromaticity in the sweet one, a limit that is otherwise compensated by the noble botrytis, which is not so easy to handle. And, since we are talking about them, the raisin wines are the strength of this winery, with a tempting variety, all native. The simpler wines are fresh and clean with a fair price; the Savignone—Centesimino aged in stainless tanks—is a smooth, pleasantly floral red wine with excellent value for money.

Nadel

Nadel: a blend of Bordeaux and Romagna grapes It is the icon of the wine cellar: Sangiovese, Merlot, Longanesi and Centesimino. A voluminous blend refined by a year of oaking, of which you can taste the echoes of vanilla, clove and chocolate. Thyme and marjoram lurk in a undergrowth full of raspberries, blackberries and cherries in syrup: balanced, very sharp, fills the mouth with round tannins. A full-bodied wine to match with black truffle risotto, passatelli with Parmigiano fondue and truffle, bucatini all’amatriciana, roast beef, hamburger.

Sette note

A very creamy, dry, Albana. Full, but still supported by a tasty acidity made of orange peel: it keeps rolling on your tongue with brisk pleasure. Excellent with fish, gnocchi with ricotta cheese, Seafood Tapas and Octopus with Beans. Fresh, floral, with hints of honey, chamomile, raisins, dates and nuts to anticipate a vibrant end.

Rubacuori

A fleshy wine with a dark charm, dark as the berries that you can find in the glass: it’s like a tart cherries juiced into the bottle. The sweetness is never cloying, thanks to a good acidity highlighted by anise and wild herbs: multifaceted, ranging from cranberry jelly to maraschino, but are the spices to dissolve the sugar with hints of coffee and extra dark chocolate, which slowly fade into a soft tannin. Wine for meditation or to be paired with Fossa Cheese or Coconut and Cherries Cheesecake.

Traicolli

Simple, chewy and not too structured, but marked by a smooth palate with light tannins and a memory of sweet ripe fruit, exactly as should be a good Centesimino. A wine that will surprise you thanks to its fresh bouquet, most notably morello, blackberry, face powder, maraschino liqueur, violets and roses. A bottle of red you will always drink up until the last drop, which has few equals—Marzemino and Lacrima di Morro—when it comes to Korean Barbecue: Bulgogi, Galbi or meat marinated with delicate sweet-savory flavors are the suggested pairings.

Augusto

Be ready, because the 2008 is quite ready! It’s the apotheosis of the tannin, a relentless assault to your mouth. This is a niche wine, still amazing and with an intensity that needs at least two year of oaking, plus one year in the bottle. The grape we are speaking about is Longanesi, or Burson, a native grape from Romagna. It’s a red, massive, piercing, fruity wine that will get along beautifully with all your grilled meat, T-bone steaks, ribs with Kansas City barbecue sauce and every peace of meat you can put into a pit!

Morose Brut

A pink, Centesimino based, wine, made with the Charmat method. More than a wine is a real wild card matching, very fragrant and popping in the mouth, with roses, pomegranate and wild strawberries in the foreground that cool and ends up in a dry finish. Combine this puffy rosé with a simple, delicious dish like Tataki tuna wrapped in eggplant and you’ll be a happy gourmand.

The top notch wines, as the two raisin wines from Albana grape, Cuore Matto (Crazy Heart) and Innamorato (Fallen in Love), and the two Sangiovese, Nonno Rico Riserva and Torre di Oriolo, are still resting in the cellar, but the samples are promising. They should come out in the second half of April and we are confidently awaiting.

If you want to buy Poderi Morini’s wines or visit the winery, ask for Ms. Daniela Morini.
Email: [email protected]
0039 0546 638172
Via Gesuita 4/B, Oriolo dei Fichi, Faenza, Ravenna, Italy
Hectares: 40
Bottles: 100000
Winemakers: Maurizio Castelli and Sergio Ragazzi

Alfredo Ravanetti