Giovanna with her daughters |
Country of Origin: Italy
Location: Bertinoro
People: Giovanna Madonia, Owner | Attilio Pagli, Winemaker
The estate extends over 12 hectares (30 acres) on the sunny ridge of the magnificent hill of Montemaggio, in Bertinoro, the heart of Romagna Wine District. Giovanna's grandfather, a Sicilian born engineer with a passion for wine, used to cultivate a few acres of grapevines and produce some wine for family and friends. Giovanna's father increased the property and the reputation of the name so much that he was elected as the first President of the Consorzio Tutela dei Vini Romagnoli (Consortium of the Wines of Romagna).
In 1992, following meticulous studies and clone selection, Giovanna started the new chapter of the Madonia Estate, assisted by Remigio Bordini, who is considered an authority of this Region's viticultural scene. She planted the new vines at an altitude between 200 and 350 meters (650 and 1.000 feet), with a density of 7.000 plants per hectare (2.900 plants per acre) trained in the "Alberello" or "Bush" system, with a variation that allows the clusters a more consistent sun exposure throughout the daily cycle. Here, the plants benefit from an optimal southwest exposure, and the yields are kept at minimum for the best fruit quality.
The grapevines have found enviable soil and climate, intermingled with olive groves and wild forest, whose scent is blended with the pleasant breeze coming from the Sea, only 5 miles away – and the charm of this landscape echoes our fruit's cherished character.
From Gambero Rosso 2012
"Giovanna Madonia’s lovely Romagna winery rests
on two solid bases. The first is her few hectares of vineyard on Mount Maggio,
in the heart of Bertinoro. Here, very distinctive soils exhibit high
proportions of active limestone and the “spungone” or seabed tufa, which seems
to sprout up continuously among the vines. The other base is Giovanna’s own
remarkable personality. Her wines, too, display magnificent character but they
need time to express their best. A few years bring them admirable balance,
almost as if they are reliving the lengthy ripening periods that the
environment imposes on its vineyards, as many as 15 to 20 days more than in
vineyards overlooking the sea.”
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