RED WINE 
ROSÈ WINE 
WHITE WINE 
ORANGE WINE 
SWEET WINE 
SPARKLING WINE 
CHAMPAGNE 
SPARKLING 
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DOMAINE BALLORIN
Producer
Scandelara
Italy, Emilia Romagna
Pianoro, Bologna
Pianoro, Bologna
5000 bottles in the cellar
Specialities: Rosè wine
Scandelara is a project born from the Castel Arienti farm, founded in the 1980s and located in the Pianoro area of the Bolognese hills. This 52-hectare estate features wooded areas, two small lakes, grazing meadows, a small section of arable land, and two vineyards totaling 3.5 hectares. The young owner, Mattia Donini, after studying oenology and gaining experience in some of the world's most important wine regions (including Argentina, New Zealand, and Burgundy), decided to return home to give the estate a new direction and offer his own wines. So far, it's a gamble that has undeniably paid off!
Challenging Terroir, Quality Viticulture
The first vineyard, a 5000 sq. meter plot planted in 1985 with a south-facing exposure, features Pinot Bianco, Albana, Trebbiano, and Riesling Italico.The second vineyard, established in 2000, faces north. This is a crucial advantage in increasingly warm vintages, and it's planted with Chardonnay, Incrocio Manzoni, Pignoletto, and Barbera.
This plot is near the hilltop, where constant winds, both cold in winter and hot in summer, buffet the vines. The soil is clay, surrounded by ravines of blue clay, which impart a unique elegance to the wines. The soil profile is further enriched with limestone and gray marl deposits.
"In the north vineyard, I only have small plants; you wouldn't think this vine is over 20 years old. The soils here are poor, and the strong, constant air currents—both cold and warm—that shake the vines force the plants to work hard just to survive. We produce only 30 quintals per hectare here, and even if we 'pushed' them, we couldn't get more.This struggle makes the plant's roots dig deep, resulting in incredible savory notes and concentration. When the Barbera grapes arrive in the cellar, you crush them and the must is already red; the berries yield so much, and it's the same for the whites." —Mattia Donini
Farming Practices in the Vineyard
The extensive experience gained, first through studies and then practical work in vineyards across the globe, translates into a series of careful and thoughtful agricultural practices. These methods allow the vines to thrive in a place as beautiful as it is challenging.
The vineyards are managed strictly according to organic farming principles: "I use green manure for fertilization, I mulch at flowering and then bury it. At this stage, all the energy is still in the roots, and by interrupting the process and burying it, I make it available to the vine. Given the low yields, I select the shoots so as not to disperse the little energy the plants can dedicate to the grapes. I don't trim the vines because, in late summer, there's a risk of scorching the berries, which would give overly concentrated aromas to the wines. With the 'extra' vegetation, I manage to keep the bunches shaded.
I make decoctions using nettle and horsetail that grow wild on the farm. Nettle, thanks to its adhesive resin, makes treatments more effective when sprayed on the plants, as they remain adhered even in normal rain. Horsetail, applied in spring, is packed with substances that boost leaf photosynthesis. These are natural solutions using the resources of the land." —Mattia Donini
In the cellar, no additives, selected yeasts, or bacteria are used, only a minimal amount of sulfur dioxide. Wood is preferred for aging. The result is amazing wines where substance and elegance always go hand in hand.
