Emilia-Romagna and Campania are two very different regions in every regard, including winemaking. In both, are grown many grapes, a viticultural characteristic that sees, in general terms, a greater predilection for native varieties. The main wine productions of Emilia-Romagna and Campania are in fact represented by wines produced with native grapes, although in both international varieties are grown and are sometimes also admitted for the production of wines with Denomination of Origin, no less, even monovarietal, as in the case of Emilia-Romagna. The vocation of these two regions, like all those of Italy, is however mainly and predominantly for native varieties, exactly like the two wines that we are examining for the tasting by contrast of this month: Ortrugo dei Colli Piacentini for Emilia-Romagna and Sannio Coda di Volpe for Campania.

 This month we are going to pour in our glasses two wines that, in many ways, can be considered typical and representative of their respective territories. Ortrugo is undeniably among the most significant white grapes of the Colli Piacentini Denomination of Controlled Origin and certainly the most consumed white wine in the area. Coda di Volpe – although it is widespread throughout Campania – is enjoying considerable success in the Sannio DOC area, together with other white grape varieties typical of the region. The wines in our tasting by contrast are decidedly different from each other. Ortrugo in fact makes wines with a light body and a prominent acidity, while Coda di Volpe is appreciated for wines with a decidedly greater structure than the Piacenza wine, together with a pleasing acidity – however less intense than that of Ortrugo – which finds greater balance thanks also to the effect of alcohol. We will therefore have in our glasses two expressions of white wines that are very distinct and different from each other.

 The Denomination of Controlled Origin Colli Piacentini is mainly identified with Gutturnio for red wines, Ortrugo and Malvasia di Candia for whites. A native variety of the Piacenza area, Ortrugo seriously risked disappearing from the vineyards of these lands and only a recovery and enhancement process – during the 1980s – averted its extinction. The recovery of Ortrugo was thanks to the University of Piacenza, which, with a specific research study, highlighted the enological qualities of this variety. It must be said, in fact, that Ortrugo was used in the past as a blending grape, added as a corrective to the wines of the area, therefore not used alone for the production of wine. Even the name by which this variety was known in the Piacenza area would testify to its primary intended use. In the local dialect, in fact, this variety was known as altruga, a dialect term meaning “other grape”.

 Documents from the early 1800s, where this variety is mentioned for the first time and with the dialectal definition, suggest that its primary destination was to make blending wines, therefore added to other wines. It must be said, in fact, that wines produced with Ortrugo are appreciated for their strong acidity, therefore suitable for correcting excessively flat or round wines. This grape is mentioned with its current name Ortrugo in 1927, when Professor Toni uses this name instead of the dialectal term, underlining – not least – that it was included among the main vines of the area. Ortrugo experienced a period of oblivion in the 1960s, so much so that it risked disappearing from the vineyards of the Colli Piacentini and, as mentioned, in the 1980s, thanks to the University of Piacenza, this grape was revalued until it became one of the most widespread and appreciated white grape varieties of the area today. Thanks to its characteristics, wines made from Ortrugo grapes are appreciated for their decisive crispness combined with a pleasing lightness, so much so that they are also suitable for the production of sparkling wines, styles which – today – are those mainly produced with this grape.

 Coda di Volpe is one of the many native grapes of Campania and certainly among the oldest known. Widespread throughout the region, it takes its name from the shape of the bunch which resembles, in fact, the curvature of a fox's tail (Coda di Volpe means “fox tail” in Italian). The first written mention is due to Pliny the Elder in his monumental Naturalis Historia, who lists it among the varieties suitable for cultivation with the pergola method. Just like Ortrugo, Coda di Volpe was also used in the past as a complementary grape combined with other varieties, therefore, as a blending grape. It was only in the 1990s that the winemaking history of Coda di Volpe changed and decidedly for the better. It was in fact in this period that the possibility of creating monovarietal wines with Coda di Volpe began to be studied, experimenting – not least – with different winemaking techniques, including fermentation and aging in cask. A change that, it should be noted, originated in the territory of Sannio, in the province of Benevento, and which was then taken up in other territories of Campania.

 Although Coda di Volpe is present throughout the region, particularly in the Vesuvius area and in Irpinia, Sannio and Taburno are today considered the main areas in which this grape is capable of expressing its best in enological terms. One of the characteristics that, so to speak, have penalized Coda di Volpe is its acidity which, compared to other white grape varieties, is evidently more modest. A quality that for years has made it considered only as a grape to be added to others, however, when properly grown and harvested, Coda di Volpe is capable of making wines of marked value and interest, a quality now proven by the enological results of recent decades and, in particular, in Sannio. Today, also as a result of the long experience gained in this territory, Coda di Volpe is mainly vinified in inert containers, in particular the steel tank, in order to favor the expression of the aromas of this variety and, not least, appropriately enhancing the acidity.

The color of Ortrugo dei Colli Piacentini

 We can start our tasting by contrast and, before pouring the wines into their glasses, we need to find the two bottles. Ortrugo dei Colli Piacentini and Sannio Coda di Volpe, outside their respective production areas, could present some difficulties in finding them, however, it will not be difficult to find them in any good specialized and well-stocked wine shop. As usual, we will make sure that the two wines are produced with their respective varieties only, as both disciplinary allow the use of other and possible grapes. As regards Ortrugo dei Colli Piacentini, we will also have to pay attention to the style and vinification. This wine, in fact, is often produced as a sparkling wine – definitely the most widespread style – while the one we are examining in our tasting must be “still”, therefore not sparkling. In both cases, we will make sure the vinification has been entirely carried out in inert containers, specifically, the steel tank. The two wines are poured into their respective tasting glasses at a temperature of 10 °C (50 °F).

 We can now start this month's tasting by contrast of Ortrugo dei Colli Piacentini and Sannio Coda di Volpe, first examining the appearance of the Emilian wine. We tilt the glass of Ortrugo dei Colli Piacentini over a white surface – a sheet of paper will do – and observe the base. We see an intense and bright greenish yellow color with a very high transparency. The nuance of the Piacenza wine, placing our attention towards the opening of the glass, confirms the greenish yellow base color. Let's now move on to evaluating the appearance of Sannio Coda di Volpe and, as with the previous wine, we tilt its glass over the white surface. Observing the base, we see an intense straw yellow color with a very high transparency. The nuance of the Campanian wine, observed towards the opening of the glass, confirms the straw yellow base color.

 The olfactory profiles of wines produced with Ortrugo and Coda di Volpe differ significantly to the nose, including those produced in the Colli Piacentini and Sannio denominations. Ortrugo is appreciated for its aromas that mainly recall apple, pear and apricot, as well as floral aromas characterized by jasmine, acacia and white rose. Wines produced with this grape generally express olfactory sensations, so to speak, not bursting and imposing, with aromas that can be defined as delicate and certainly not fully intense. The intensity of the aromas which is expressed in a decidedly more powerful way is that perceived in wines produced with Coda di Volpe, including those from the Sannio area. From the glass can be mainly perceived aromas of white-fleshed fruits, such as apple and pear, as well as yellow and exotic fruits, such as peach and pineapple. In these wines are also perceptible aromas directly associated with the world of flowers, in particular hawthorn, broom and chamomile.

 Let's resume our tasting by contrast and proceed with the evaluation of the olfactory profiles of Ortrugo dei Colli Piacentini and Sannio Coda di Volpe, starting – as in the previous phase – with the Emilian wine. By keeping the glass in a vertical position and without swirling, we proceed with the first smell in order to appreciate the opening of the wine, that is, the evaluation of the primary aromas. From the glass we can perceive, with a gentle intensity, aromas of apple, pear and apricot followed by floral recognitions of broom, acacia and, often, white rose and jasmine. After swirling the glass and proceeding with the second smell, the olfactory profile of Ortrugo dei Colli Piacentini is completed with plum, peach and grapefruit. Let's now move on to the evaluation of the opening of Sannio Coda di Volpe, therefore by keeping the glass in a vertical position and without swirling, we proceed with the evaluation of its opening. From the glass we appreciate aromas of greater intensity than the previous wine and in which we recognize apple, pear and peach, as well as aromas of hawthorn and broom. After swirling the glass and doing the second smell, the olfactory profile is completed with pineapple, medlar and plum, often followed by aromas recalling citrus fruits and hazelnut.

 Let's now move on to the evaluation of the gustatory profiles of our wines, starting, as in the previous phases, with Ortrugo dei Colli Piacentini. Let's take a sip of this wine in order to evaluate its attack, that is, the primary sensations perceived in the mouth. Among the first gustatory qualities to be recognized, the crispness conferred by the acidity and a decidedly modest structure stand out, both determining factors in giving Ortrugo dei Colli Piacentini a pleasing and immediate character. The effect of alcohol, although perceptible, still leaves the acidity in good evidence in the overall balance and in the mouth the flavors of apple, pear and apricot are perceived. Let's now move on to the evaluation of the gustatory profile of Sannio Coda di Volpe, so let's take a sip of this wine and focus on its attack. In the mouth, compared to the previous wine, a greater sensation of structure and, at the same time, a lower intensity of acidity are immediately perceived. The balance of the wine is promptly obtained thanks to the effect of alcohol. Finally, in the mouth we perceive the flavors of apple, pear and peach.

 We conclude this month's tasting by contrast by evaluating the final sensations that the two wines leave in the mouth after swallowing, in particular the taste-olfactory persistence, the primary factor in the quality of a wine. The finish of Ortrugo dei Colli Piacentini is persistent, leaving flavors of apple, pear and apricot in the mouth as well as a marked sensation of crispness given by the acidity. In the mouth, moreover, a sensation of light structure continues to be perceived, giving the wine a pleasing elegance and immediacy. The finish of Sannio Coda di Volpe is equally persistent and in the mouth, the structure continues to be perceived, decidedly more intense than the previous wine, while the acidity is decidedly lower when compared to that of Ortrugo. In the mouth, the flavors of apple, pear and peach continue to be perceived as well as a pleasing note reminiscent of hazelnut. We now proceed to the final smell of the two glasses, first Ortrugo dei Colli Piacentini and then Sannio Coda di Volpe. The olfactory sensations are still distant and, in particular, their intensity, decidedly lighter the one which is perceived from the glass of the Piacenza wine.