Wine of The Month: "Ducamante"

The Santerno Wines line is enriched with a new, extraordinary product, the result of a skilful study by the team of winemakers at Tenute d’Italia to pay homage to one of the most precious raw materials gifted to us by our territory. A brand aimed at paying homage to the ancient winemaking tradition of the Santerno Valley could not fail to include Sangiovese in its highest expression, the Romagna D.O.C. Sangiovese Superiore Riserva.

If with Bramante (Romagna D.O.C. Sangiovese) Tenute d'Italia was able to successfully propose Sangiovese in its purest version, totally vinified and aged in steel to better preserve its natural aromas, with Ducamante the goal becomes decidedly more ambitious, presenting a complex, refined wine, carefully studied in every detail to demonstrate Romagna's capacity to confront the great Tuscan tradition head on.

Produced with 100% Sangiovese grapes, Ducamante is proposed as a masterful example of harmony between the typical bouquet of the grapes and the tertiary notes brought by the ageing in wood: a lively, vigorous wine, already well pleasing from its youth but, at the same time, intriguing the taster with a promise of its excellent evolutionary potential.

The tasting of Ducamante is a real pleasure for all our senses. As soon as it is poured into the glass this noble Sangiovese reveals itself in all its fullness, wrapping the glass in a soft, full-bodied embrace; the ruby red colour is clear, intense, perfectly consistent with a product of the very finest type. The violet reflections that characterise the basic Bramante version give way to the seductive scarlet streaks that give a foretaste of the elegant tertiary contribution which comes as result of ageing in wood. Crystalline in appearance, Ducamante passes the visual analysis with flying colours, faithfully radiating the sense of elegance that inspired its production.

From the moment we inhale the first bouquet from the still glass, it is a triumph of evocative notions that arouse the imagination:  a complex interweaving of aromas in which, it is immediately clear, every element plays a fundamental role, each of them essential yet none prevailing over the whole.

Going into detail, delving into the heart of Ducamante's olfactory profile to outline its individual traits, the first group of aromas that catch one’s attention, undoubtably relate to the so-called secondary aromas, and not only for the intense typicality they portray - the hint of violet typical of Sangiovese reaches here one of its highest expressions - but also for the fullness, the voluptuousness with which they affect the sense of smell. In the mind, the images of juicy black cherries, ripe strawberries and delicious mulberry blackberries are clearly delineated: you only need to close your eyes and you will feel them between your fingers, moist and pulpy, ready to be tasted.

And suddenly, against the background of this scarlet riot of sweetness, the tertiary notes rise gracefully, but clear: the soft French oak is embellished with tantalizing spices - black pepper, cloves, a hint of cinnamon - weaving a fascinating aromatic texture that envelops and ennobles the bouquet of flowers and red fruits.

Raising the glass to the lips concludes and crowns the splendid tasting experience that Ducamante offers: the first sip suffuses warmth, softness, enveloping the palate in a passionate embrace that immediately evokes the fruity and spicy sensations perceived on the nose. The body is abundant, vigorous: the perception of fullness is completely satisfying. 

The skilful balance conferred by the excellent contribution of tannin and acidity is totally convincing: hard components that intervene to perfectly support not only the impressive structure of Ducamante, but also its fabulous aromatic persistence.

On the table, the first suggestion can be none other than the combination with a succulent grilled beef steak, but equally attractive are the combinations with blue cheeses (also when used as a condiment, as for gnocchi with Gorgonzola) and feathered game (pheasant roast with mushrooms, duck breast with blueberries). Also, intriguing is a sweet combination, especially with pastries or flakes of extra-dark chocolate, for delicious meditation.