Albana DOCG: the Italian white that drinks like red

Deep yellow with an orange glow in the glass. For a white wine, that colour already says enough: something unusual is happening here. The Romagna Albana DOCG Secco from Giovannini, raised in terracotta, is a white wine with the structure and length of a red. A bottle reached my table via Venivino, and the wine refused to be drunk in a hurry.

Albana and its DOCG

Albana was the first white grape in Italy to be granted DOCG status, in 1987. Thick skinned, disease resistant, and made in dry, sweet, and passito styles. It’s grown almost exclusively in Romagna; outside the region you’ll rarely come across it. No Chardonnay supply chain, no Sauvignon style template; just a local grape that, in the right hands, produces something that doesn’t sound like anything else.

Giovannini Gioja Albana bottle beside a glass of deep amber-orange wine

Giovannini Albana bottle lying angled next to a glass of amber-orange wine

Tasting notes Giovannini Albana

The nose opens with freshness and a light oxidative note, then earthy and floral tones, lemon zest. After a few minutes of swirling the wine opens further: tropical fruit, dried pineapple and banana, red apple, honey, cream, butterscotch, acacia, ripe pear. The wine asks for patience; rush it and you miss it.

Back label of the Romagna Albana DOCG Secco organic wine by Giovannini

Front of the Giovannini Gioja Romagna Albana DOCG bottle with its illustrated label

The palate follows the nose: same tropical richness, dried fruit, honey. Medium-plus acidity, spices and herbs in a long finish. The terracotta aging delivers round texture and an earthy undertone without flattening the wine.

At the table

Not an aperitif from a bowl. This bottle wants weight on the plate: substantial antipasti, grilled white fish in a rich sauce, mild curry, hard cheeses such as aged pecorino or parmigiano. The structure stands up to strong flavours; at the same time it doesn’t smother them. Organic farming, proven aging potential; properly stored, this wine will only get more interesting in years to come.

Verdict

Albana DOCG breaks the assumption of what a white wine should do. No citrus chill, but depth, length and complexity normally credited to reds. The Giovannini version is one of the sharpest introductions to the variety in the Netherlands. For anyone wanting to add a new white outcome from Romagna to the repertoire.

By this wine at Venvino: https://venivino.nl/product/giovannini-albana-docg/

Prices in this article date from September 2024. Check the current price with the seller.