{"title":"Direct Press September 2025: Emilia-Romagna","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1270\/3173\/files\/SEPT_2025_Direct_Press_Web.pdf?v=1756935187\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1270\/3173\/files\/Direct_Press_Screenshot.png?v=1756935489\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px; font-family: Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', 'Palatino LT STD', 'Book Antiqua', Georgia, serif; font-style: normal;\"\u003eEmilia-Romagna is the heart and soul of Italy’s distinguished farming heritage: just think of Parmigiano Reggiano, Grana Padano, Tagliatelle, Tortellini, Prosciutto di Parma, Mortadella di Bologna, Culatello di Zibello, Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, and more. But for too long it’s unpretentious, unique farmer wines have been overshadowed.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"font-size: 14px; font-family: Georgia; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); text-decoration-color: currentcolor; text-decoration-style: solid; text-decoration-thickness: auto; text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px; font-family: Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', 'Palatino LT STD', 'Book Antiqua', Georgia, serif; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px; font-family: Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', 'Palatino LT STD', 'Book Antiqua', Georgia, serif;\"\u003eAnd nowhere shows the strife between industrial and natural wine quite like Emilia-Romagna. Similar to Beaujolais, its traditions and ecology were wrecked by industrial wines—in this case, sweet Lambrusco produced in airplane hangar-sized factories that bears little resemblance to the wild, fizzy farmer juice that developed over centuries. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"font-size: 14px; font-family: Georgia; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); text-decoration-color: currentcolor; text-decoration-style: solid; text-decoration-thickness: auto; text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px; font-family: Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', 'Palatino LT STD', 'Book Antiqua', Georgia, serif; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px; font-family: Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', 'Palatino LT STD', 'Book Antiqua', Georgia, serif;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"font-size: 14px; font-family: Georgia; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); text-decoration-color: currentcolor; text-decoration-style: solid; text-decoration-thickness: auto; text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px; font-family: Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', 'Palatino LT STD', 'Book Antiqua', Georgia, serif; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px; font-family: Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', 'Palatino LT STD', 'Book Antiqua', Georgia, serif;\"\u003eJust like Beaujolais, Emilia-Romagna has a vibrant natural wine scene that has risen up in opposition to industrial wine's excesses.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', 'Palatino LT STD', 'Book Antiqua', Georgia, serif; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-size: 18px;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', 'Palatino LT STD', 'Book Antiqua', Georgia, serif; font-style: normal;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px; font-family: Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', 'Palatino LT STD', 'Book Antiqua', Georgia, serif;\"\u003eFind out more in this month's Direct Press, f\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', 'Palatino LT STD', 'Book Antiqua', Georgia, serif; font-style: normal;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px; font-family: Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', 'Palatino LT STD', 'Book Antiqua', Georgia, serif;\"\u003eeaturing exclusive interviews with Elisabetta Montesissa and Giovanni Masini of Cà de Noci.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;\"\u003eBy Jonathan Kemp\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1270\/3173\/files\/SEPT_2025_Direct_Press_Web.pdf?v=1756935187\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #fff; text-decoration: none; display: inline-block; background: #5A72A1; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; line-height: 100%; letter-spacing: 0; margin: 0; text-transform: none; padding: 15px 40px 15px 40px; mso-padding-alt: 0; border-radius: 0;\"\u003eRead \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrint copies go out to our monthly members but anyone can download the latest issue and purchase the wines we've selected to go along with the theme of the 'zine. \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003eMonthly subscribers also get first dibs and discounts on the wines below — plus free shipping. Learn more \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/ctrk.klclick.com\/l\/01K1XB60CFN5NC7THK8JJTZM6J_0\"\u003ehere\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"saccomani-frizzante-ortrugo-colli-piacentini-2022","title":"Saccomani Frizzante Ortrugo Colli PIacentini 2022","description":"\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePress 4 White • September 2025 Direct Press Selection\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eIn the Piacenza hills, red clay and fossilized shells help create wines with an extra structure and mineral backbone. Luckily there are also growers like Claudia and Luca Saccomani who use the traditional refermentation in bottle method, which they feel best captures these elements in the soil and allows them to speak through the wine. They are continuing work their grandfather Giuseppe began in the 1940s, though he started out just growing table grapes. By the early 2000s, they were growing Ortrugo, Malvasia di Candia, Croatina, and Barbera completely without chemicals. They've never used any additives in the cellar.In the Piacenza hills, red clay and fossilized shells help create wines with an extra structure and mineral backbone. Luckily there are also growers like Claudia and Luca Saccomani who use the traditional refermentation in bottle method, which they feel best captures these elements in the soil and allows them to speak through the wine. They are continuing work their grandfather Giuseppe began in the 1940s, though he started out just growing table grapes. By the early 2000s, they were growing Otrugo, Malvasia di Candia, Croatina, and Barbera completely without chemicals. They've never used any additives in the cellar.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eThis semi-sparkling Ortrugo is made like a Pet Nat, with one fermentation. A mix of savory and floral elements, there is bruised apple, preserved lemon, jasmine tea, with some chalky texture and a snappy, herbal finish. It's bottled with a cork but the bubbles and the pressure inside mean that getting the cork out will require a little elbow grease. I like pairing this with things I'd typically have with beer or cider: tacos, sausages, choucroute, or calamari are just a few things that come to mind. \u003cem\u003eJonathan Kemp\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"MFW 3:00 4cs\/$400","offers":[{"title":"Pet Nat • Methode Ancestrale","offer_id":46501927190763,"sku":"","price":22.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1270\/3173\/files\/D1D86333-E793-447D-9FF5-97036B6DF1FD.jpg?v=1751318057"},{"product_id":"ca-de-noci-le-rose-bianco-frizzante-emilia-2022","title":"Ca de Noci 'Le Rose' Bianco Frizzante Emilia 2022","description":"\u003cp class=\"p1\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ePress 2 • August 2023 Direct Press Selection\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eNatural wine would not be where it is today without people willing to go against the grain back when there were few other people to provide examples. Brothers Giovanni and Alberto Masini were truly outliers back in 1993. \"We have not been influenced by people but by the call of nature, which demanded respect; and by society, which demanded a revolution to react to the wine industry,\" Giovanni explained to me. \"The birth of mass production social cooperatives in 1900 made it possible to transform this region. The families that made wine began to sell the grapes to the large wineries to lower production costs—but this began a continuous decline in the quality of the wines, and it risked extinguishing the families that made wine.\" It also risked extinguishing the nearly 100 autochthonous grape varieties in the region, and the Masini brothers have worked hard to keep some of these alive: Spergola, Malbo Gentile, Montericco, and others that few have ever heard of.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e‘Le Rose,’ is an orange \u003ci\u003efrizzante\u003c\/i\u003e wine made from Malvasia di Candia, not an obscure grape but a fabulously delicious one. \u003c\/span\u003eThere is a very short skin maceration and the wine undergoes a secondary fermentation kicked off with the same vintage's grape must to give it some mild bubbles. It is certainly floral due to the Malvasia, but this is matched with funky \u003cem\u003eSaison\u003c\/em\u003e notes and lots of texture to sink your teeth into. It's an ethereal, joyful wine that feels truly original. According to Giovanni, their wines \"have very original tastes because they do not come from crossings with international varieties but were born and cultivated only here. In the glass you can also feel more because the fermentations are made with yeasts indigenous grown from our countryside.\" As for food pairings? \"Le Rose is very fond of young Parmigiano Reggiano but also of Pancetta,\" says Giovanni. \u003cem\u003eJonathan Kemp\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"DRESSNER 2:00 3cs\/$300","offers":[{"title":"Sparkling","offer_id":46749703405803,"sku":null,"price":41.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1270\/3173\/files\/image_67c3ba3a-8bad-4a41-8080-2b2b64e1a433.jpg?v=1690843032"},{"product_id":"denavolo-ciliegia-vino-bianco-2022","title":"Denavolo \"Ciliegia\" Vino Bianco 2022","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePress 4 White • September 2025 Direct Press Selection\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGiulio Armani, the winemaker at La Stoppa, started his own project, name Denavolo, in 2005. He had begun learning winemaking from Rafael Pantaleoni at La Stoppa in 1980 when Giulio was still basically a child. At La Stoppa he learned the art of natural winemaking and viticulture, making skin contact wines as far back as 2001 when it was far from trendy. Denavolo is only about three hectares of vines planted to indigenous varieties, including some that are unknown because they were only meant for local peasant wine. Not surprisingly, the Denavolo wines have many of the same qualities that make La Stoppa so close to peoples' hearts. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCiliegia is 100% Ortrugo with 3 months of skin contact in stainless steel tank, zero sulfur added. The cherry on the label is only there because a Canadian importer wanted a cherry on it. An apple would be more appropriate because it has an energetic, cidery feel, with some malic edge and a subtle touch of Basque \u003cem\u003erancio\u003c\/em\u003e funk. It is not as wild as some of the La Stoppa wines, and is mostly a very refreshing, balanced wine, the shallow end of the orange wine pool. It is very delicious and very soulful, the product of Giulio's lifelong stewardship of the traditions and terroir of the Piacenza hills. \u003cem\u003eJonathan Kemp\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"DRESSNER 2:00 3cs\/$300","offers":[{"title":"Orange • Skin Contact","offer_id":46749707993323,"sku":null,"price":32.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1270\/3173\/files\/636452C7-6CA0-4B26-B8FD-86F2292D1450.jpg?v=1756758968"},{"product_id":"montesissa-rio-franceatta-emilia-rosso-frizzante-2020","title":"Montesissa 'Rio Fratta' Emilia Rosso Frizzante 2020","description":"\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePress 4 Red • September 2025 Direct Press Selection\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eElisabetta Montesissa is following in the footsteps—though maybe not foot stomps—of her grandfather. \"\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eMy grandad pressed with his feet, now we have a machine to do it,\" she says. \"My grandad bottled without doing analyses. Now we do analyses on the residual sugar. These are the only differences. I’ve always lived among vineyards and in agriculture. My grandad and my father have always farmed this way. \u003c\/span\u003eWe have been working for three generations to farm our soils respecting the biological cycles, so we can protect the environment and safeguard the health of consumers. We also farm cereals (particularly traditional grains that we use to produce flour and pasta), corn and others arable lands for animal’s alimentation and to consent a good soil rotation. We also have olive trees that we will use in a few years to produce oil. We try to be independent also with vegetables and fruit by our garden. As for the wine, we have always done it as we do it now, respecting the history and the tradition. A wine that is done with a spontaneous bottle fermentation only with indigenous yeasts and without the use of chemistry in the vineyards and in the cellar.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer 'Rio Fratta' is absolutely singular, a wine that could not be duplicated anywhere else in the world. It is unashamedly rustic and funky, possibly one of the most authentic glimpses into the traditional wines of the region. Surprisingly, it's 100% Syrah, which at first glance one might assume is a modern arrival. In fact Syrah came to Piacenza over 200 years ago with Napoleon's army. And while many are ripping out Syrah Elisabetta is doubling down on the grape and respecting it's long history here. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNaturally it is lightly sparkling, as reds here have typically been for ages, and it is dark, animal, and grippy with a strong barnyardy funk from Brettanomyces — not unlike the local mortadella or bresaolo. This will \u003cem\u003enot\u003c\/em\u003e be for everyone. However it is a political statement that couldn't be further from Riuniti's mass-produced swill. Here is Emilia-Romagna's true heritage: funky farmer fizz.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eElisabetta says, \"t\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eraditionally it goes well with important meat dishes such as roasts and braised meats, but also with stuffed pasta and vegetables. It can be a perfect accompaniment for hamburgers or a very stuffed pizza.\" \u003cem\u003eJonathan Kemp\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"FIFI 2:30 $400","offers":[{"title":"Red","offer_id":46749741220075,"sku":null,"price":23.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1270\/3173\/files\/DE92DC68-96C0-40B0-B83D-7F82D8D0AB3C.jpg?v=1756758791"},{"product_id":"bulli-cor-colli-piace-rosso-nv","title":"Bulli \"Cör\" Colli Piace Rosso NV","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePress 4 Mix\/Red • September 2025 Direct Press Selection\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe labels on the Bulli wines look like they haven't changed since the 1950s, which may actually be true. They feature coins and medals that the winery has been awarded since its start in the 1880s, but despite this history it remains a quaint, family operation of just 12 hectares in a quiet pastoral area of the Piacenza hills. The soils here are complex with a lot of limestone and fossils from an ancient sea: they have even discovered whale fossils here. The labels also include the phrase \"\u003cem\u003esenza solfiti aggiunti\" \u003c\/em\u003eor\u003cem\u003e \"no added sulfites.\" \u003c\/em\u003eThis has always been the case at Bulli, as has their organic farming. They sell their traditional wines out of a repurposed horse stall to locals who line up every day. The wines are made by Leonardo Bulli but the real boss is his mother, La Signora Bulli.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough they are known for the traditional frizzante wines of Emilia, they also make some still wines, including this \"Cör\" Rosso made from 40% Barbera, 30% Malvasia di Candia, 20% Bonarda, and 10% Uva Rara. Black cherry, dusty sage, and savory, earthy undertones are matched with tangy cranberry and lifted acidity, keeping this chewy red nice and lively. Despite zero sulfur and being sold out of a horse stall, there are no barnyard notes. It's just a zero BS wine that will shine with charcuterie, red sauce, or pizza. \u003cem\u003eJonathan Kemp\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"REGAL 5:00 $300","offers":[{"title":"Red","offer_id":46749764190443,"sku":null,"price":18.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1270\/3173\/files\/97CC1C7F-CAD6-4A28-9D12-EFEDF1921492.jpg?v=1756758937"},{"product_id":"croci-lubigo-vino-frizzante-bianco-2022","title":"Croci 'Lubigo' Vino Frizzante Bianco 2022","description":"\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\" class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ePress 4 Mix\/White • September 2025 Direct Press Selection\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eCroci is a small estate, currently run by \u003ci\u003evignaiolo\u003c\/i\u003e Massimiliano Croci whose grandfather started the estate in 1935. They, too, hail from the hills around Piacenza, just east of Lombardy. Milk was originally the main focus of the farm until 1970 when Massimiliano’s father realized they couldn’t compete on the same level with industrial farms, and switched to wine production exclusively. Today it is still just 16 hectares with only about half of that planted to vines. The rest of the property is used for dairy cows, grain, hay, and pasture, and production is about 40,000 bottles a year. Their vineyards and winery are located in the Val Arda, named after a small tributary of the tremendous Po River. Their plots are mainly steep hillsides of old vines at 250-300 meters of elevation on soils made of loose sand full of fossilized, limestone-rich seashells (evidence of a time when the land was once an ocean floor) and red clay. The vines are farmed entirely organically and harvested by hand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eIn the 1980’s Croci tried to compete with modern wineries by switching to \u003ci\u003echarmat\u003c\/i\u003e method, where the wines get their bubbles in an enormous steel tank, like Prosecco. When Massimiliano assumed management of the estate in 1999 he observed that the more traditional method of refermenting in bottle instead of tank held up better and showcased the expressiveness of the land far better, so he switched back. Croci now uses the anachronistic but traditional “low and slow” approach, where the first spontaneous fermentation stops in the winter and continues fermentation in the spring as it warms up.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eCroci’s ‘Lubigo’ (translation = landslide) is 100% Ortugo from a steep, southeast-facing vineyard referred to as a ”beach” due to the aforementioned sandy soils full of fossils. The grapes see 1-2 weeks of skin-contact, and the wine is bottled unfiltered with a small addition of sulfur in the springtime before the wine starts to ferment again, generally around Easter and always during a waning moon. Refermentation takes another 8-10 months, at which point the wine is fully dry and a little sparkling—less than your average Pet-Nat. It’s bottled with a cork, which takes a bit of elbow grease to remove because of the pressure from the bubbles, but it will be worth the effort.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThis wine is both funky and incredibly refreshing. There’s a grippy minerality, and it reminded me of a farmhouse ale or \u003ci\u003eSaison\u003c\/i\u003e. Youthful with notes of just-bitten apple, meyer lemon, stewed pineapples, and salty cheeses. Picture yourself lazing down a cross-town river in a boat with fresh cut fruits, pecorino, and \u003ci\u003etarte tatin\u003c\/i\u003e laid out around you.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eJeremy Hernandez \u0026amp; Demi Elder\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BOWLER 4PM $150","offers":[{"title":"Sparkling","offer_id":46749802463467,"sku":null,"price":26.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1270\/3173\/files\/image_691f6ef7-4186-4295-8243-15bb53f03969.jpg?v=1690844549"},{"product_id":"la-stoppa-trebbiolo-vino-rosso-2023","title":"La Stoppa 'Trebbiolo' Vino Rosso 2023","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePress 4 Red • September 2025 Direct Press Selection\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLa Stoppa has a long and rich history in the Emilia-Romagna region in Northern Italy. Founded over a century ago Elena Pantaleoni began to lead the winery in the mid 90’s that her family acquired in 1973. The vineyards are farmed organically according to the Suolo and Salute method. The average age of the vines and poor soils lend to a lower yield and higher concentration of character in the grapes. The wines are made with a minimalist approach in the cellar.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll the vineyard work is conducted by hand to ensure that great attention is paid to the selection of the grapes that make it into the wine. The younger grapes make their way into younger wines like the Trebbiolo and the older vines lend their grapes to producing long-aging wines as in the 2012 Macchiona. Since the mid 90’s when Elena took the helm the winery made the decision to cultivate primarily local varieties such as Barbera and Bonarda for their red grapes, Malvasia di Candia Aromatica, Ortrugo and Trebbiano for white grapes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTrebbiolo, their most approachable red, is still proudly flying its freak flag, though they have begun adding a small amount of sulfur for the past few vintages. The funk is only a part of the complexity of this singular blend of Bonarda and Barbera. It's a thick, feral, concentrated wine with notes of fresh fig, red plum, cherry compote, and tomato paste. Chewy and ripe with secondary notes of iron and umami, it is a wine that evokes strong reactions. Love it or hate it, La Stoppa's Trebbiolo is a wine that makes no compromises and is a standard bearer for natural wine in Emilia-Romagna and the world over. \u003cem\u003eJeremy Hernandez and Jonathan Kemp\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BOWLER 4PM $150","offers":[{"title":"Red","offer_id":46749817798891,"sku":null,"price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1270\/3173\/files\/78446C5F-9D62-49A5-A21C-26ABDF77676F.jpg?v=1756758898"},{"product_id":"chiara-condello-sangiovese-predappio-romagna-2022","title":"Chiara Condello Sangiovese Predappio Romagna 2022","description":"\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePress 4 Red • September 2025 Direct Press Selection\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003eChiara Condello is a young winemaker located in Predappio, a town in the southeast corner of Emilia-Romagna. Predappio is specifically in the Romagna region which, until the unification of Italy in the mid 19th century, was completely distinct in history, culture and dialect from Emilia. Chiara’s estate totals seven hectares of which about five hectares are dedicated to Sangiovese and the rest are split between woods and olive trees. Chiara’s family also makes wine in Predappio, but she makes wines in her own distinctive way with her own vines and cellar. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"page\" title=\"Page 6\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"layoutArea\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"column\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePredappio is one of 12 villages that gives their name to a Sangiovese subzone and is located in the foothills of the Apennines which are characterized by a sedimentary soil known as \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003espungone\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e—relatively young at three million years old. It is notable for containing abundant, intact shells of marine life, is chunky and porous, and held together by a calcareous sandstone “cement.” \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis wine is 100% Sangiovese from three plots ranging between 150m and 350m above sea level. The vine age here is approximately 40 years. The grapes are destemmed but not crushed, leaving the whole berries intact. It’s then aged for a year in large Slovenian \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ebotti\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. The result is Sangiovese with substance, edge and clarity. Dusty rose, cherry, and cocoa \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003epowder on the nose. The palate is a firm yet nuanced blend of cherry, plum, and cocoa powder with supple tannin structure and a satiating length. Some claim that Emilia- Romagna is actually Sangiovese’s native land—not Tuscany—and tasting Chiara’s wines there is an essential vitality I find that makes me want to believe it. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eJeremy Hernandez\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"BOWLER 4PM $150","offers":[{"title":"Red","offer_id":46749819994347,"sku":null,"price":27.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1270\/3173\/files\/EC9CE229-0A61-44A6-A718-081186AFA73B.jpg?v=1706479929"},{"product_id":"la-stoppa-igt-emilia-barbera-camporomano-vino-rosso-2013","title":"La Stoppa \"Camporomano\" Barbera Emilia 2013","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePress 2 • September 2025 Direct Press Selection\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLa Stoppa is featured prominently in our Emilia-Romagna roundup because of their devoted following and longstanding work as natural wine standard bearers. Though the estate had been around since the late 1800s, the natural wine phase began in earnest  in the late 1990s when owner Elena Pantaleoni and winemaker Giulio Armani ripped out Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, and other vines to focus on historic grapes of Emilia, like Barbera, Bonarda, Ortrugo, Malvasia di Candia, and Trebbiano. Everything has been organic since the late 1990s as well, though they were not certified until 2009.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePossibly more important to La Stoppa's reputation is their commitment to aging. They don't release wines sequentially, so vintages pop up out of order when Elena and Guilio feel they are ready, often five years at minimum. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCase in point: the Camporomano here is from 2013. 100% Barbera from a single vineyard, it is not made every year. It's destemmed and sees a long 40 day maceration and fermentation in steel. It's aged in Slavonian oak. Zero sulfur is added, and this is possible in part because the pH of the wine is so low that it doesn't complete malolactic transformation. This means the malic acid is retained, keeping it inhospitable for bacteria and other microbes. It also means the wine is surprisingly bracing and vivid even at this stage of its life. You might even forget it is over a decade old. Thick, ripe black cherry, tangy plum, crunchy raspberry, and spicy red pepper flakes. Complex, rich, and superbly singular. We expect nothing less from La Stoppa, and yet each new drop from them seems to surprise us and enamor us even more to their idiosyncratic ways. \u003cem\u003eJonathan Kemp\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BOWLER 4PM $150","offers":[{"title":"Red","offer_id":46749821993195,"sku":null,"price":44.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1270\/3173\/files\/DC30D733-64D1-482A-96F3-FDD7E1A7C6D1.jpg?v=1756758832"},{"product_id":"chiara-condello-sangiovese-predappio-romagna-2023","title":"Chiara Condello Sangiovese Predappio Romagna 2023","description":"\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePress 4 Red • September 2025 Direct Press Selection\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003eChiara Condello is a young winemaker located in Predappio, a town in the southeast corner of Emilia-Romagna. Predappio is specifically in the Romagna region which, until the unification of Italy in the mid 19th century, was completely distinct in history, culture and dialect from Emilia. Chiara’s estate totals seven hectares of which about five hectares are dedicated to Sangiovese and the rest are split between woods and olive trees. Chiara’s family also makes wine in Predappio, but she makes wines in her own distinctive way with her own vines and cellar. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"page\" title=\"Page 6\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"layoutArea\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"column\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePredappio is one of 12 villages that gives their name to a Sangiovese subzone and is located in the foothills of the Apennines which are characterized by a sedimentary soil known as \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003espungone\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e—relatively young at three million years old. It is notable for containing abundant, intact shells of marine life, is chunky and porous, and held together by a calcareous sandstone “cement.” \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis wine is 100% Sangiovese from three plots ranging between 150m and 350m above sea level. The vine age here is approximately 40 years. The grapes are destemmed but not crushed, leaving the whole berries intact. It’s then aged for a year in large Slovenian \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ebotti\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. The result is Sangiovese with substance, edge and clarity. Dusty rose, cherry, and cocoa \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003epowder on the nose. The palate is a firm yet nuanced blend of cherry, plum, and cocoa powder with supple tannin structure and a satiating length. Some claim that Emilia- Romagna is actually Sangiovese’s native land—not Tuscany—and tasting Chiara’s wines there is an essential vitality I find that makes me want to believe it. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eJeremy Hernandez\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"BOWLER 4PM $150","offers":[{"title":"Red","offer_id":47317058715883,"sku":null,"price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1270\/3173\/files\/B355A409-734A-4EC1-B09D-D22D807E7A5F.jpg?v=1778274660"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1270\/3173\/collections\/SEPT_25_Direct_Press_Cover.png?v=1756415948","url":"https:\/\/vwm.wine\/collections\/direct-press-august-2025-emilia-romagna.oembed","provider":"Vanderbilt Ave Wine Merchants | 573 Vanderbilt Ave | Brooklyn NY","version":"1.0","type":"link"}