Centesimino is a native black grape variety from the hills around Faenza, particularly associated with the Oriolo dei Fichi area. Its history is linked to Pietro Pianori, known as ‘Centesimino’, who contributed to the preservation and local propagation of the variety from the 1930s onwards, following the phylloxera crisis. Long known as ‘Savignôn rosso’, it was officially recognised and entered in the National Register of Vine Varieties in 2004.
From an ampelographic point of view, it has a rather large, wedge-shaped, five-lobed leaf, with a V-shaped petiole sinus, a slightly blistered upper surface and moderate tomentosity on the underside. The bunch is small to medium in size, conical in shape, and moderately compact to compact, supported by a short, semi-woody stalk. The berries are spherical, regular in shape and of medium size, with a blue-black skin richly covered in bloom and soft, colourless, fruity flesh.
Its cultivation remains concentrated mainly on the hills between Faenza and the areas around Ravenna and Forlì, where it fully expresses the character of the Romagna landscape. The wine has an intense ruby-red colour, with delicate and persistent aromas of rose, violet, orange blossom, strawberry and cherry, accompanied by hints of aniseed and liquorice. On the palate, it is fresh, full-bodied, with well-balanced tannins and good structure, and an acidity capable of supporting its development over time. The variety also lends itself to still, sparkling and passito wines, as well as to versions aged in wood.
