Terroir Mercato Saraceno
Mercato Saraceno wines are made from vineyards located in the area near the town center. Mercato Saraceno is an MGA (additional geographical mention) recognized within the Romagna DOC. The additional geographical indication is the definition provided by the rules on designations of origin of wines which serves to identify a more restricted area within a defined territory.
Mercato Saraceno is the largest MGA in Romagna Sangiovese and probably the least planted due to the valley’s conformation. The extent of arable land decreases as you move towards the high hill. For this reason there are no extensive vineyard extensions. In the MGA Mercato Saraceno there are mainly vineyards surrounded by woods. A characteristic that is reflected in the olfactory characteristics of wines.
The conformation of the territory makes the MGA Mercato Saraceno very different from all the others in Romagna. Here there are real river terraces created by the flow of the river Savio over the millennia. The rock common to all terraces is of marly arenaceous type.
By dissecting the valley transversely near the inhabited center of Mercato Saraceno, three terraces are visible.
First terracing – From 160 to 180 meters, it is about 30 meters above the bed of the river Savio. The rocky massif is clearly visible, offering the viewer looking at the valley with its back facing east and the river in front of it, a razor-sharp rock wall. Above this massif there is a rather fertile layer of medium-textured soil with a clayey tendency. A fundamental characteristic is the layer of gravel which is located at a depth of about two meters at this point.
Second terracing – From 180 to 200 meters continuing the virtual walk, the observer leaves the river behind and continues west. A slightly uphill section accompanies it to the second terracing characterized by the gravel vein that emerges on the surface. The composition of the soil is always a medium mixture with a clayey tendency, but the presence of gravel is fundamental for the pleasantness of the fruit and the elegance of the wine’s aromas.
Third terracing – From 200 to 350mt. At this point the slope is very important. The soil subjected to atmospheric agents over thousands of years, thanks to the run-off and runoff downstream of the stony part, has been reduced to a soil with a main clay component. The clay gives the wines a refined tannic texture, while the limestone of the rock gives elegance.
