The Brisighella subzone of Romagna Sangiovese stretches across a broad area between the Lamone River Valley and the Sintria stream. It borders the Serra subzone to the north, and Marzeno and Modigliana to the south.
The medieval village of Brisighella is a true marvel. It appears suddenly among the rolling hills, perched on one of them, and watched over by the Clock Tower and the Rocca Manfrediana, which have stood guard since the 13th and 14th centuries.
But Brisighella’s charm goes well beyond its historic skyline. Its countryside is among the most beautiful in Italy – another reminder of Romagna’s extraordinary diversity of landscapes, climates, and cultural richness.
Vineyards surround the village, often alongside olive groves – a rare sight north of the Apennines. This is one of the few areas in the region where extra virgin olive oil is also produced, notably from the local cultivar Nostrana di Brisighella, the base of the renowned Brisighello oil.
The local wine-growing area is extensive, ranging in elevation from 180 to 500 meters and spreading across the Lamone and Sintria valleys. Soil types and exposures vary widely – nearly all the geological formations found in Romagna are represented here.
In the lower northern areas (Pideura, Monte Coralli, and Zattaglia), you’ll find red soils, yellow sands, and the clayey formations of the badlands. Around Brisighella itself, chalky marls are more common, while further south sandstone soils take over.
Soils and Sangiovese Styles
The diversity of soils in Brisighella gives rise to multiple interpretations of Sangiovese, with no single dominant style.
The lower areas
Wines from the northern, lower-elevation zones often resemble those from nearby Imola and Serra, though with some distinctions. These are bold reds, full-bodied and robust, where structure and grit take precedence over finesse.
The mid to high elevations
In the central and southern zones, where the altitude increases and soils shift from clay to marl-rich, balance and elegance become more prominent.
At the highest altitudes, the wines are agile and vibrant, marked by red berry and blood orange aromas, with crisp acidity lending freshness and energy.
A microcosm of Sangiovese
In many ways, Brisighella is a Sangiovese microcosm – a small universe where the grape reveals a wide spectrum of expressions.
Given the subzone’s size and complexity, this comes as no surprise: the landscape itself seems to invite diversity, offering a rich mosaic of styles that together tell the story of Sangiovese in Romagna.