Typically, when we think of Sangiovese in Italy, we think of Chianti and the Tuscan region, but Sangiovese is grown in multiple parts of Italy.
The wine we are diving into today comes from Romagna, the eastern portion of Emilia-Romagna, specifically from hillside vineyards near Modigliana. It was made by Ronchi di Castelluccio.
The village of Modigliana sits about 50 kilometers southeast of Bologna. It sits remarkably close to the border to Tuscany and the region of Firenze and, at the same time, is just 60 kilometers to the Adriatic coast. The region is hilly and mountainous, sitting in the Romagna Apennines.
We spoke with Aldo Rametta of Ronchi di Castelluccio via Zoom with a group of wine journalists. This wine was the last of the four sample wines we received that we had an opportunity to taste and pair.
Here are the other two articles:
Albana and Sauvignon Blanc from Poggio dell Dogana and Ronchi di Castelluccio in Romagna
&
Ronco della Simia
This wine is made by Ronchi di Castelluccio, which was created by founder Gian Vittorio Baldi. Baldi planted the vineyards in this region in 1974. At the time, no one believed grapes could grow in this area, so high in the hills. The Rametta brothers bought the estate in 2020 and restored the historic vines.
Ronco della Simia is a Romagna Sangiovese Modigliana DOC wine. It is made of the ecotypes of Sangiovese that grow in these mountains, which have elliptical berries. The vines were planted in 1975 and restored in 2019. They grow at 440 meters in elevation in marl, limestone, and sandy loam soils in an east-facing vineyard.
The thick skin gives this wine heft and means it needs a bit of bottle aging to evolve and come into its own.
It does spontaneous fermentation in a combination of Stainless Steel tanks and small oak vats and spends 25 days macerating on the skins.
It then ages for 10 months in various wood vessels with low toast.
13.5% abv
My Notes: sour cherry, orange peel, cranberry, and a hint of barnyard that enriches the nose.
Where did the name come from?
First, let’s define a “ronco.”
A “ronco” is a cultivated terraced slope in a hillside vineyard, although the term has been used in the past for any type of farming on a hill.
The word comes from the Latin term runco, which means to clear weeds.
On to the “Simia”
There is a story of an American soldier who, following WWII, settled in this area with his pet monkey. When the monkey passed, the soldier buried him honorably near the well in the ronco, which was considered an honored and mystical place. Hence, the Ronco became Ronco di Simia. The label was inspired by drawings by Ulisse Aldrovandi, a 16th-century naturalist in Bologne.
Tagliatelle and Ragu
We paired this with tagliatelle and a ragu, which is typical for the Romagna region.
I made the tagliatelle fresh, and we tested the sauce before finishing. Michael set out tasting spoons with the ragu, and we added ingredients one at a time and tasted. When we found the ones we liked, we layered them to see which combinations worked.
We tried cinnamon, black pepper, thyme, tarragon, rosemary, and nutmeg.
We settled on adding cinnamon, black pepper, rosemary and nutmeg.
This was a lighter ragu, not as hefty as some of the richer ragus we have made recently, but really comforting. It allowed the wine to shine.
Mandorlato al Cioccolato
di Modigliana
I also made a Mandorlato al Cioccolato di Modigliana. This dessert is typically made for the holidays and the recipe varies by family. These are treasured recipes that are handed down from generation.
My version is my own, updated with ingredients available. Traditionally the honey, almonds and liqueur used would all be local.
While it is suggested that you enjoy this dessert with dessert wines, brandy or cognac, I found it delicious with the Sangiovese Romagna.
This was by far my most successful Italian dessert recently!
Deep, rich, chocolaty, and dotted with almonds, it pulled the dark cherry notes of the wine forward, so when enjoyed together, the aromatics of chocolate and cherries exploded in my mouth.
(Find the full recipe below!)
Pairing dishes that evoke the region with this wine, added to the experience. The wine was delicious and satisfying as were the pairings.
For more information on Ronchi di Castelluccio, visit their site
Tagliatelle and Ragu
This ragu, made from a blend of ground pork and beef, is more delicate than many. It is comforting without being overpowering, perfect as we transition into spring. We paired it with a Sangiovese Romagna.
Ingredients
- 1 carrot finely diced
- 1 stalk of celery finely diced
- ½ onion finely diced
- 1/3 cup diced pancetta
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 lb of ground pork & beef
- ½ can of diced tomatoes
- 1 cup of beef broth
- ½ cup white wine
- ¼ cup red wine
- Parmigiano Reggiano Rinds
- ½ cup milk
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp fresh ground black pepper
- 1 tsp fresh rosemary minced
- ¼ tsp fresh ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Cook the soffritto (the celery, carrot, and onion) with the pancetta for about 7 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.
- Add the tomato paste, mix, and cook for an additional minute.
- Add the pork/beef mixture and cook for 5 minutes until browned.
- Add the wine and cook to deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes, beef broth, and the Parmigiano rinds and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and cook for 2 hours.
- Add the milk, cinnamon, black pepper, and rosemary. Mix and cook over medium heat for 1 hour.
- Before serving, grate in some fresh nutmeg and mix.
- Serve with tagliatelle and top with shards of Parmigiano Reggiano and rosemary.
Mandorlato al Cioccolato di Modigliana
Mandorlato al Cioccolato is a traditional holiday dessert in the town of Modigliana in Romagna, Italy. The recipes vary by family and are handed down through the generations. This rich chocolate dessert is traditionally made with black walnut liqueur, which can often be difficult to find. We substituted a hazelnut liqueur, which is easier to find. This was the perfect finish to our dinner and paired beautifully with the Sangiovese Romagna we were sipping.
Ingredients
- ½ cup + 2 tbsp flour
- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- ¼ cup honey
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup of water
- ½ cup almonds
- ¼ cup candied orange peels
- ¼ cup nut Liqueur (traditionally black walnut, but I used hazelnut DiSarrona)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp ground ginger
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 320 degrees Fahrenheit
- Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper
- Mix the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and spices.
- Add the almonds and the candied orange and mix to coat them.
- Heat the water and sugar, stirring until the sugar dissolves, and bring it to a boil.
- Melt the honey into a liquid in a small pot.
- Add the honey and simple syrup (sugar water mixture) to the dry ingredients and mix. (This will still seem dry)
- Add the Liqueur and mix. (This will become darker and wetter).
- Place the chocolate mixture in the parchment-lined springform pan.
- Place another piece of parchment on top (this does not need to be cut to size, just a piece large enough to cover the entire surface)
- Press the mixture to the edges of the pan using a flat-bottomed glass so that the top is flat and level.
- Remove the top parchment.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- Allow to cool. Cut into wedges to serve.
Nutrition Information
Yield
12Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 164Total Fat 5gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 0mgSodium 78mgCarbohydrates 28gFiber 2gSugar 20gProtein 3g
Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.
Robin Renken is a wine writer and Certified Specialist of Wine and WSET 3 Certified. She and her husband Michael travel to wine regions interviewing vineyard owners and winemakers and learning the stories behind the glass.
When not traveling they indulge in cooking and pairing wines with food at home in Las Vegas.
Check out our book series, “Tempting Spoonfuls” available through Amazon!
Inspired by the flavors and aromas in wines, these books create “tempting spoonfuls” of flavors to pair with wines.
“Tempting Spoonfuls – Pairing single bites with glorious wines” – Our first book paired wines from boutique wineries on the west coast, in California, Oregon, and Washington, with delicious spoonfuls.
This book is 60 pages, 18 recipes, lots of beautiful photos, and insights into some fantastic small wineries!
“Tempting Spoonfuls – small bites paired with wines from around the Globe” – This book takes us around the globe to explore 12 wine regions, a wine from the region, and then gives you a recipe for a pairing!
A slightly larger book at 104 pages, this time you learn about pairing with a type of wine from a region. Rather than a specific bottle, you can look for a style of wine from a region and feel confident that it will go well with the recipe pairing we provide. We give you 12 recipes, each to pair with a wine.
The goal is to make your mouth water and encourage you to create your own “Tempting Spoonfuls.”
Leave a Reply