Lip-smacking macerated frizzante from Croci

Massimiliano Croci's lip-smacking frizzante wines have a hidden tannic kick which really works well - a tasty tradition from Emilia-Romagna.

If you've tasted the orange wines of La Stoppa, Denavolo, Casé, Podere Pradarolo or Vino del Poggio, the joys of macerated Malvasia di Candia Aromatica and Ortrugo will be pleasurably ingrained on the taste buds. These two local varieties are the mainstay of Emilia's traditional white blends, now often made with a few weeks of skin contact during fermentation. But head to Tenuta Vitivinicola Croci, located in the same sub-region (a little south of Piacenza), and this tradition mixes happily with another Emilia-Romagna speciality - bubbles.

Massimiliano Croci is at least the third generation in his family to make wine here, and his focus is on the region's naturally frizzante style, which is also typically macerated. Three wines from the estate are made this way: Lubigo (100% Ortrugo), Campedello (Malvasia/Ortrugo and more) and the red Gutturnio (Barbera and Bonarda, AKA Croatina). What makes these wines extra-special is that they undergo a truly natural second fermentation in the bottl…