Le Sottozone del Romagna Sangiovese: Mercato Saraceno | Consorzio Vini di Romagna
May 2024 | Territory

The Sub-Zones of Romagna Sangiovese: Mercato Saraceno

Mercato Saraceno, formerly known as San Vicinio, is the largest subzone in the Romagna Sangiovese DOC region.

Mosaico di Vita | Consorzio Vini di Romagna

Bordered by Meldola to the west, Bertinoro and Cesena to the north, and Longiano to the east, the Mercato Saraceno subzone begins at Borello, where the stream of the same name flows into the Savio River, which continues towards Cesena.

These two waterways shape two valleys, with most of the winemaking activity focused around the Savio Valley, particularly along the hills to the river's left and around Mercato Saraceno.

The soils here are alluvial, with brown limestone soils in the northern part that gradually become more gravelly as you move south towards the town itself. As the elevation rises, reaching up to 400 meters, you encounter marl and sandstone.

This diverse soil composition results in two distinct expressions of Sangiovese: in the sparser northern areas around Borello, the wines are fruitier and rounder, while closer to Mercato Saraceno, the Sangiovese becomes less fruit-forward, with more pronounced tannins and a sharper acidity.

One noteworthy site in this subzone is the Casalecchio Castle, castrum Casalecli, located in the municipality of Sarsina. Known as "The Palace of a Hundred Windows," it’s built around a large courtyard with a well and a chapel dedicated to Saint Nicholas. Constructed in the medieval era, it was handed over to the Bernardini family of Rimini in 1420, who transformed it into an elegant noble residence. After the last descendant of the family passed away in the 19th century, the castle was converted once again, taking on the appearance of a traditional farmhouse.