Villa Venti

Villa Venti is in the town of Roncofreddo, near Longiano in the province of Forlì Cesena. The Adriatic Sea is about 5 miles as the crow flies with Cesenatico just up the coast and Rimini a little further south.

The Longiano subzone goes from the left bank of the Rubicone river to the west border of the province of Rimini. Longiano and Roncofreddo are the most representative areas, with ochre soils and sandy and calcareous clay mixtures.

The region’s wine-producing roots are lost in the mists of time, and Mauro is fond of quoting GP Ghislieri who wrote to the Pope in the 15th century “fertile et massime di vini et olei […] ne mandano fuori assai et massime a Venetia, dove per la loro bontà hanno molto spaccio.” (This land is rich in wines and oils which they export to Venice in great quantity where they are celebrated for their quality)

It was never a question for the co-op how to farm. Organics and Biodynamics are the only way for them, and they’ve been doing it strictly since 1985. They cherish their soils, and organics are the only way to keep them lively and connected to the surrounding ecosystem.

From their first meeting with Remigio Bordini, Mauro and Davide wanted to make a pure Sangiovese with a strong territorial identity, elegance and drinkability. This concept is the cornerstone of their production and has guided their choices at key moments.

From the beginning they chose to farm organically, using only products of vegetable or mineral origin, not chemical synthesis. They have recently set out on a new path to embrace biodynamic farming that will allow them to reduce the use of copper in the vineyards.

“Our main concern is always our vineyards, our fields. The vines in our vineyards have the shape of candelabra, because our agronomist strongly believes that this shape is best for the ripening of Sangiovese and it is also able to establish a good balance between soil, climate and plant.”

Throughout the growing season the vines are monitored one by one. They want to deeply understand each of their vines and know its potential problems. “If we monitor each little issue might arise, we are able to intervene before the problem will become one.” By doing this, the grapes arrive at the cellar healthy, ripe and with excellent phenolic characteristics.
From the very beginning Mauro and Davide chose to plant autochthonous grape varieties: Sangiovese, Centesimino and Famoso di Cesena, as they are better adapted and more representative of their area.

Fermentation takes place at controlled temperature and with indigenous yeasts.
The search for the “signature style of a wine” is the result of endless discussions with Francesco Bordini, who with his father Remigio, shares an unquestionable knowledge of the territory and a deep passion for his profession. After the fermentation Francesco and Mauro keep tasting from the vats, discussing how to achieve the best outcome.

“In our case, good wine is also the result of this teamwork with our technicians, a working relationship that over time has become a profound friendship.”

The grapes destined to the Riserva come from their cru and are aged in tonneau, while Primo Segno ages in stainless steel.
In recent years they have started using Georgian quevri (amphora) and this has helped them better understand macerations even in the vinification in stainless steel. As a result they eliminated temperature control during fermentation giving the wines a stronger expression of the land and the climate where the vines are planted.