Meet the producer: Ghedini Società Agricola

Probably one of the funniest winemakers I have ever met, Michele Ghedini.

Open and friendly, he welcomes me to his winery/agritourism with a big smile.

He starts showing me the production area, while telling the story of his winery, that was renovated and modernized in 2011. Here the grapes from 8 hectares of vineyard are processed. In the cellar we find mostly stainless steel and concrete vessels, which allow the wine to maintain as much as possible the aromas of the grapes from which it is produced.

The varieties are mostly local, with some international influence: as a matter of fact, we can still find Pignoletto and Alionza along with Chardonnay, Barbera and Negrettino along with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. But Michele told me that the international varieties will soon be replaced with local vines.

The conversion to organic farming was completed in September and even in the cellar the winery operates in the most natural way possible, as Michele's grandfather used to do, starting from spontaneous fermentations up to the absence of filtering.

The wine range is quite big, but Michele's passion is indeed directed towards sparkling wines, which embody the real traditions and the heritage of his family farm.

The winery is also a beautiful agritourism restaurant, where Michele starts uncorking his bottles to let me have a complete vision of his production.

During the visit, I had the chance to taste some of the wine produced by Michele:

Pignoletto sui lieviti 2022: 100% Pignoletto. A simple, fruity version of this iconic wine from the Bolognese hills. To be enjoyed as a perfect summer aperitivo.
Sgumbei Alionza 2022: 100% Alionza. Definitely tense and citrusy, refreshing and satisfying. A wine that you need to drink more and leaves you with beautiful hints of medicinal herbs.
Sgumbei Barbera frizzante: Yes, accept it. Barbera has been cultivated on the hills of Bologna for centuries, but here even this serious red from Piedmont can often be sparkling, just like this one, that is the perfect companion for the fat local cuisine.
Saguajè sparkling white: Saguajè in Bolognese dialect means a mixture, and it's the way the traditional glass half wine/half water that was drunk during lunch/dinner was called. In this case, a blend of Chardonnay + Barbera (white version). Opulent nose followed by great tension. A wine that leaves your mouth clean and calls for another sip.
Saguajè sparkling rosé: Another blend, 20% Negrettino + 80% Barbera, both vinified as rosé, 100% Bolognese. A real emblem of this production area, super fresh and rich of little red fruits.