Villa Papiano, Modigliana, high on the southern flank of Mount Chioda right where Romagna bumps into Tuscany, and honestly one of the most exciting Sangiovese stories in Italy. A 15th century villa, vines on terraces between 450 and 570 metres, the highest in the area, ringed by dense forest that keeps the whole valley cool, wild and clean. A proper wilderness, and the wines taste like it.
Francesco Bordini bought the estate in 2001 with his father Remigio, a legendary agronomist responsible for planting much of the great Sangiovese in the district, plus siblings Maria Rosa, Giampaolo and Enrica. Four siblings, one hillside, a family that grew up knowing exactly how much soil matters. Francesco’s an agronomist first and a winemaker second, and it shows. Organic farming, biodynamic leanings, indigenous varieties and old clones, minimal intervention in the cellar.
Soils are ancient marl and sandstone, which means pale, perfumed, electric Sangiovese rather than the ripe cherry stuff you find further south. Papesse, named for the strong-willed Bordini sisters, is blood orange, pomegranate and forest berries, cement-aged and brilliantly fresh. Vigna Beccaccia is pale and high-toned, violets and juniper, peppery and mineral on the finish. I Probi, the Riserva, comes off old vines with dark spice, fine tannin and a long, savoury finish. Beyond Sangiovese there’s Albana and rare local varieties like Centesimino, Negretto and Balsamina.
Modigliana has been one of Italy’s best kept secrets for years, and Francesco’s been shouting about it for just as long. Villa Papiano is the reason it deserves your attention.
Mountain Sangiovese, pale and perfumed, tense and utterly alive.
Villa Papiano, Modigliana, high on the southern flank of Mount Chioda right where Romagna bumps into Tuscany, and honestly one of the most exciting Sangiovese stories in Italy. A 15th century villa, vines on terraces between 450 and 570 metres, the highest in the area, ringed by dense forest that keeps the whole valley cool, wild and clean. A proper wilderness, and the wines taste like it.
Francesco Bordini bought the estate in 2001 with his father Remigio, a legendary agronomist responsible for planting much of the great Sangiovese in the district, plus siblings Maria Rosa, Giampaolo and Enrica. Four siblings, one hillside, a family that grew up knowing exactly how much soil matters. Francesco’s an agronomist first and a winemaker second, and it shows. Organic farming, biodynamic leanings, indigenous varieties and old clones, minimal intervention in the cellar.
Soils are ancient marl and sandstone, which means pale, perfumed, electric Sangiovese rather than the ripe cherry stuff you find further south. Papesse, named for the strong-willed Bordini sisters, is blood orange, pomegranate and forest berries, cement-aged and brilliantly fresh. Vigna Beccaccia is pale and high-toned, violets and juniper, peppery and mineral on the finish. I Probi, the Riserva, comes off old vines with dark spice, fine tannin and a long, savoury finish. Beyond Sangiovese there’s Albana and rare local varieties like Centesimino, Negretto and Balsamina.
Modigliana has been one of Italy’s best kept secrets for years, and Francesco’s been shouting about it for just as long. Villa Papiano is the reason it deserves your attention.
Mountain Sangiovese, pale and perfumed, tense and utterly alive.
