Predappio is one of the historic wine-growing areas of Romagna, situated amongst the hills through which the rivers Rabbi and Bidente flow, in a landscape that rises gradually towards the Apennines. The climate tends to be continental, with breezy summers, plenty of sunshine and more pronounced daily temperature variations along the ridges; the proximity of the Adriatic helps to ensure frequent breezes and conditions favourable to the slow ripening of the grapes.
The geology is particularly varied. The soils, of Pliocene origin, alternate between calcareous clays, sands, chalky marls, outcrops of spungone and sandstones, creating a complex soil structure capable of imparting distinct nuances to the wines of the individual valleys and hills. This diversity is particularly evident in Sangiovese, the region’s flagship grape variety and the foundation of Romagna Sangiovese Predappio, which must comprise at least 95 per cent of the grapes. The vineyards also include Trebbiano Romagnolo and other authorised grape varieties, utilised according to the different interpretations of each winery.
Predappio’s red wines are distinguished by their structure, tannic tension, freshness and recognisable mineral character, with a development that expresses complexity over time. The winemaking tradition combines meticulous vineyard management, selective harvesting, red wine vinification with careful attention to extraction, and carefully calibrated ageing, thereby enhancing the identity of the soils and the long local winemaking history.
