Description
The Colli Piacentini PDO is reserved for the following types of wine: White, Red, Spumante and Passito; Novello and Vin Santo. The Designation also incorporates numerous grape variety and geographical specifications.
Production Area
The production area of Colli Piacentini PDO is within the hilly areas of 24 municipalities in the Province of Piacenza in the Emilia-Romagna region.
Description of product typologies
Colli Piacentini PDO Bianco, Rosso, Spumante and Passito wines with specification of grape variety have the typical colour, fragrances and flavour of the grape variety. Colli Piacentini PDO Novello is ruby red; it is characteristic, vinous and fruity on the nose; on the palate it is dry or medium-sweet on the palate, acidulous, fragrant and fruity, still. Colli Piacentini PDO Novello wine must be bottled in the Province of Piacenza before December 31st of the year in which the grapes are produced. Colli Piacentini PDO Vin Santo is yellow, with straw-yellow to golden yellow hues; it is intense, aromatic, characteristic and ethereal on the nose; it is dry or sweet on the palate, smooth, harmonious, intense and aromatic. Grapes destined for the production of Colli Piacentini PDO Vin Santo must be carefully selected and dried on the vines and trellises with traditional methods; they must be monitored up until the moment they are pressed, which can only be carried out after December 1st of the harvest year; the wine must be aged for at least 48 months, commencing November 1st of the year in which the grapes were produced, of which at least 36 months must be in wooden barrels with a capacity of no more than 500 litres.
Geographical and sub-area specifications
The Colli Piacentini PDO can be accompanied by four geographical sub-designations: Colli Piacentini PDO Monterosso Val d’Arda, Colli Piacentini PDO Trebbianino Val Trebbia, Colli Piacentini PDO Valnure and Colli Piacentini PDO Vin Santo di Vigoleno. The wines produced in the above-mentioned sub-areas are: Monterosso Val d’Arda (incl. Semi-Sparkling, Spumante): 20-50% Malvasia di Candia and Moscato Bianco, 20-50% Ortrugo and Trebbiano Romagnolo, with the possible addition of Bervedino and/or Sauvignon and/or other white grape varieties suitable for cultivation in the concerned area, maximum 30%. Trebbianino Val Trebbia (incl. Semi-Sparkling, Spumante): 35-65% Ortrugo, 10-20% aromatic Malvasia di Candia and Moscato Bianco, 15-30% Sauvignon and Trebbiano Romagnolo, with the possible addition of other white grape varieties suitable for cultivation in the concerned area, maximum 15%. Bianco Valnure (incl. Semi-Sparkling, Spumante): 20-50% aromatic Malvasia di Candia, 20-65% Ortrugo and Trebbiano Romagnolo, with the possible addition of other white grape varieties suitable for cultivation in the concerned area, maximum 15%. Vin Santo di Vigoleno: min. 60% Santa Maria and Melara, with the possible addition of grapes of the Bervedino and/or Ortrugo and/or Trebbiano Romagnolo varieties, maximum 40%. The characteristics of the colour, fragrances and flavour of each specification are those typical of the grape variety and terroir of origin. Grapes destined for the production of Colli Piacentini PDO Vin Santo di Vigoleno must have been carefully selected and must be dried traditionally on trellises; they must be monitored up until the moment they are pressed, which can only take place after December 1st of the harvest year. The wine must be aged for at least 60 months, of which at least 48 months must be in wooden barrels (with a maximum capacity of 500 litres), commencing November 1st of the year in which the grapes were produced.
Grape variety specifications
The Colli Piacentini PDO may display the following grape variety specifications. From white grape varieties: min. 85% Malvasia (incl. Semi-Sparkling, Spumante, Passito), aromatic Malvasia di Candia, pure or with the addition of similarly-coloured grapes originating from other grape varieties suitable for cultivation in the concerned area, max. 15%; min. 85% Chardonnay (incl. Semi-Sparkling, Spumante), Pinot Grigio (incl. Semi-Sparkling, Spumante), Sauvignon (incl. Semi-Sparkling), pure or with the addition of similarly-coloured grapes originating from other grape varieties suitable for cultivation in the concerned area, max. 15%. From red grape varieties: min. 85% Barbera (incl. Semi-Sparkling), Bonarda (incl. Semi-Sparkling), Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Nero (incl. Semi-Sparkling), min. 85% Pinot Nero (Spumante), max. 15% Chardonnay, pure or with the addition of similarly-coloured unaromatic grapes originating from other grape varieties suitable for cultivation in the concerned area, max. 15%. Grapes destined for the production of Colli Piacentini PDO Malvasia Passito wines must be dried on the vines and trellises with traditional methods. The characteristics of the colour, and flavour of each specification are those typical of the grape variety and terroir of origin.
Additional specifications
The Colli Piacentini PDO designation can be followed by the specification Vigna (Vineyard) with the relative toponym.
