Saccomani Frizzante Ortrugo Colli PIacentini 2022

Press 4 White • September 2025 Direct Press Selection

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 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.

This 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. Jonathan Kemp