Mirco Mariotti "Smarazen" Trebbiano, Emilia-Romagna, Italy NV

FROM PORTOVINO:

THE PRODUCER: The unique Bosco Eliceo has vines growing on the beach, and a long tradition of making frizzante metodo ancestrale wines with extremely old vines, some reaching more than 100 years old. His vines are in Fortana’s cru growing area of Bosco Eliceo, just 300 meters from the Adriatic sea. Since the vines are grown in sand, they are non-grafted and on their own native rootstock (It. piede franco). What’s more, he uses the process of propaggine, or Layering (of shoots), in a process where the instead of planting new vines, shoots are bent do underneath the soil and come out to form a new vine. What results is a gnarly web of vines over 100 years old that all all interconnected, drawing on an aquifer two meters deep. These are wines with loads of character, with a decisive salty and savoury married to unripe fruit. If that’s your style, kick off the sandals, light up the grill, and deal the cards. This is the read deal framer fizz.

THE WINE: 70% Trebbiano Romagnolo and 30% Malvasia di Candia. Extremely old vines. Almost 80 years old vines (planted in 1952), and ultra 100 year old vines on native rootstock (piede franco). Some vines grow on the web-mother of all training systems: Propaggine. Beach vines! Beach wines! The unique Bosco Eliceo growing area has select cru vineyards - ultra 100 year old vines on native rootstock - that lie on Adriatic’s shores, and Mirco Mariotti is the long time curator of these historic vineyards. Combine the raw material, along with a local tradition of making frizzante metodo ancestrale wines, and you got yourself something fun but also deeply part of the land and terroir. Unfiltered. The locals often give the lees a shake before drinking.