Wine Production

About 3,323 vine-growing estates produce average of 60,000 tonnes of grapes, resulting in about 420,000 hL of wine.

Vineyards on the hills of Piacenza

Most vine-growing estates produce their own wines directly, although only part of the grapes are made into wine.

Nearly 1,400 estates have wine-making plants and equipment for the production and the bottling of wine. The average yearly production of DOC wines in the last three years is about 226,000 hL, about 56% of the total production in the province.

The Appellation

DOC Colli Piacentini ranks 16th out of the 360 DOC (2% of the total Italian production) and 1st on a regional level (17% of the total region of Emilia-Romagna is produced here).

The Market Trends

Azienda Agricola Molinelli

The wines which better identify the area of Piacenza and have the main share of the market are Gutturnio and Malvasia di Candia Aromatica with a production of about 5.4m and 2.0m bottles resp.

Gutturnio

This is the famous red wine made from 55-70% of Barbera grapes and from 30-45% of Croatina grapes, locally known as Bonarda. It comes in three different varieties: sparkling or still, if young; "Classico", from the central and best area of its region;

Superiore", is put on the market by law after 1 September of the year following the vintage. "Riserva" is aged for at least 24 months, 3 of which in wooden barrels, starting from 1 October of the year of vintage;

Malvasia di Candia

Azienda Agricola " Le Torricelle".

This white wine is made from at least 85% of Aromatic Malvasia di Candia grapes and from other grapes similar in colour, provided they are recommended or authorised in the province of Piacenza.

Maximum yield per hectare is 13 tonnes; maximum wine yield is 70%;

The straw-yellow or pale straw-yellow wine has a characteristic, intense bouquet.
The flavour is dry, medium sweet or sweet, aromatic, fresh. Both still or slightly sparkling version are available. It has a min. of 12, 50% alcohol (Sweet Malvasia can have as low as 5.5%). Dry Malvasia should be served at 10°C. Medium sweet or sweet goes well at 7°C.