The Centesimino grape is indigenous to the hills of Faenza, in the province of Ravenna. Today, it remains cultivated in a limited area between the provinces of Ravenna and Forlì-Cesena. The peculiar name of the grape, Centesimino, seems to match the nickname given to the first winemaker who started cultivating it in the 1960s, from a plant that survived the phylloxera plague, coming from old vineyards that had not yet been replanted in the 1930s. It appears that these vines originally arrived in Romagna from Spain, also evidenced by the presence, in some vineyards in the area, of vines called Alicante (“Alicante del Faentino”) grown alongside the so-called “Savignòn Rosso,” as Centesimino was locally called due to its herbal aromatic notes reminiscent of the robust strength of Sauvignon. Indeed, Centesimino can also be considered a semi-aromatic grape variety.
Centesimino has a medium-large, pentagonal, and pentalobate leaf. At maturity, its cluster is medium-small, pyramidal, and moderately compact, with spherical, medium-sized berries. The berries have a moderately pruinose, blue-black skin and tend to have soft, uncolored pulp with no particular flavors. Agronomically, Centesimino shows slightly less vigor than Sangiovese and lower productivity. Its late ripening allows it to escape potential spring frosts more easily. It is sensitive to downy mildew but not particularly to rots. It has good withering capacity on the plant, allowing for delayed harvesting and the production of interesting dessert wines. The wine produced from pure Centesimino has a good level of acidity, is well-structured, and can sustain some aging. It presents a deep ruby red color, intense with violet reflections if young and garnet hues if aged. On the nose, it is floral (orange blossom, rose, violet), spicy (anise, licorice, vanilla), and fruity (red berries, blackberry, raspberry, cassis, strawberry, cherry). On the palate, Centesimino is dry, with subtle freshness and the right tannicity, never aggressive. It has good structure and balance and is characterized by a high taste-olfactory persistence.
