Wine

Wine Tour of Emilia-Romagna, part 2: Pignoletto

As a member of the Dutch association of wine connoisseurs with a level 4 diploma (Verenigde Vinologen Nederland), I serve on the VVN travel committee. Together with Fred Nijhuis, I organize wine trips to Italy. Following our previous journeys to Campania in 2024 and Friuli in 2025, we are visiting Emilia-Romagna and the Marche this year. Both are lesser-known Italian wine regions, which is precisely what makes them so interesting to explore. After our first day in Emilia focusing on Lambrusco, we continued with Pignoletto, the grape variety that bridges Emilia and Romagna. This variety is also called Grechetto Gentile and is known in Umbria as Grechetto di Todi. Most Pignoletto is sparkling and thus a white alternative for Lambrusco.

Map highlighting the Emilia-Romagna DOC and Colli Bolognesi Pignoletto DOC regions with yellow and blue outlines, respectively.

As of 2023, the DOC/DOCG structure has been changed. Emilia-Romagna DOC is a broad geographical area for producing wines from Pignoletto in Emilia (provinces of Modena and Bologna) and Romagna (Ravenna province). Colli Bolognesi Pignoletto DOCG is restricted to the hills near Bologna, with lower yields than the DOC. Most of the wines are sparkling (75% of DOCG and 95% of DOC), both spumante and frizzante (softer bubbles), and usually produced with the tank/Martinotti method, though metodo classico is also used. There are also still dry wines and passito sweet wines.

Group photo of 20 adults standing together in a grassy park area, surrounded by trees.

We were welcomed by the Consorzio Emilia-Romagna, which represents producers from both the DOC and the DOCG. It is remarkable that approximately 25 large producers from the Emilia-Romagna DOC, responsible for about 15 million bottles annually, and around 60 small artisan producers from Colli Bolognesi, who produce about 850,000 bottles per year, collaborate within a single consortium. Their shared objective is to promote the wines made from Pignoletto. Chiara Cecchetto gave us a clear and concise presentation of Pignoletto and the DOC/DOCG.

A table displaying several boxes of wine bottles with corks partially removed, and a wine glass next to a person holding a sheet of paper.

The consortium had set up a very professional tasting session showing a wide range of 24 different expressions of Pignolo, still and sparkling, DOC and DOCG. The technical sheets were provided for all of the wines and can be found here.

A collection of wine bottles displayed in a organized manner, showcasing various labels and brands from different regions.

We tasted the following wines, all 100% Pignoletto:

  1. Terre Rosse Vallania, 995 Spumante Metodo Classico 2022, Emilia-Romagna DOC: fresh and mineral.
  2. Botti, L’Altro Dieci Spumante Metodo Classico 2020, Colli Bolognesi Pignoletto DOCG: complex, nutty.
  3. Gaggioli, Carlo Spumante Metodo Classici 2019 Colli Bolognesi Pignoletto DOCG: complex, creamy.
  4. Cantina di S. Croce, 100 Vendemmie Spumante Metodo Charmat Emilia-Romagna DOC: pear, fruity.
  5. Cavicchioli U., Antica Foresteria Spumante Metodo Charmat Emilia-Romagna DOC.
  6. Caviro, 1502 Da Vinci in Romagna Spumante Metodo Charmat Emilia-Romagna DOC.
  7. Zanardi Alessandro, Spumante Metodo Charmat Extra Brut 2024 Colli Bolognesi Pignoletto DOCG: earthy.
  8. Tenuta Bonzara, Angelo Lambertini Fondatore Spumante Metodo Charmat Colli Bolognesi Pignoletto DOCG: elegant pear.
  9. Cantina di Carpi e Sorbara, Pietra del Sole Spumante Metodo Charmat 2025 Colli Bolognesi Pignoletto DOCG: creamy, pear.
  10. Cantina di Carpi e Sorbara, Pignoletto Frizzante 2025 Emilia-Romagna DOC: soft.
  11. Cavicchioli U., Tre Medaglie Frizzante Emilia-Romagna DOC: light.
  12. Cantina San Martino in Rio, Riò Frizzante 2025 Emilia-Romagna DOC: full-bodied.
  13. Montevecchio Isolani, Colli Bolognesi Pignoletto DOCG Frizzante 2025: balanced.
  14. Corte d’Aibo, Colli Bolognesi Pignoletto DOCG Frizzante 2025: fresh.
  15. Tenuta Santa Croce, L’Ora Mossa Colli Bolognesi Pignoletto DOCG Frizzante 2025: fresh.
  16. Francesco Bellei, Ancestrale Rifermentato in bottiglia 2024 Emilia-Romagna DOC: cloudy, texture.
  17. Riunite Linea Righi, SenzaTempo Rifermentato in bottiglia Emilia-Romagna DOC: texture and fruity.
  18. Tenuta la Riva, Acsè Rifermentato in bottiglia 2018 Emilia-Romagna DOC: golden, developed.
  19. Gaggioli, Colli Bolognesi Pignoletto Superiore DOCG 2025: soft, fruity, dry.
  20. La Marmocchia, Anino Colli Bolognesi Pignoletto Superiore DOCG 2025: structure.
  21. Podere Riosto, Colli Bolognesi Pignoletto Superiore DOCG 2024: notes of almond.
  22. Il Monticino, del Monticino Colli Bolognesi Pignoletto Superiore Classico DOCG 2024: mineral, full body.
  23. Lodi Corazza, Zigant Colli Bolognesi Pignoletto Superiore Classico DOCG 2023: tannin, aromas of skin contact.
  24. Isola, Vecchie Vigne Colli Bolognesi Pignoletto Superiore Classico DOCG 2023: high acidity.
A group of people seated at a long dining table with glasses and plates, enjoying a meal and drinks in a well-lit room. Some individuals are engaged in conversation, while others are looking at their menus.

It was very interesting to taste such a wide range of styles, showcasing the versatility of Pignoletto. This was especially true for the still wines (19-24), which were all very different. The sparkling wines made with the tank method were more similar to each other and also quite similar to Prosecco. The metodo classico (wines 1-3) were the most interesting of the sparkling wines.

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