Colli di Scandiano e di Canossa is a DOC wine distict in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy. Created in November 1976 and revised on more than ten occasions (most recently in December 2010), the title covers an array of wine styles: red and white, sparkling and still, sweet and dry, blends and varietals.
Being so close to Emilia-Romagna's key Lambrusco zone, which lies between Reggio, Modena and the Po river, it was almost inevitable that this DOC would cater for sparkling red wines made from the eponymous variety. Four types of Lambrusco wine are made under the Colli di Scandiano e di Canossa title, alongside the standard rosso (red) and bianco (white) wines and the various varietals.
The increasing demand among global wine consumers for varietally labeled wines has led to changes in the way Italian wines are managed in the past decade. Most DOCs now have the option of producing varietal wines, except the better-known, more established names such as Chianti, Bardolino, Brunello and Barolo. These varietals usually bear well-known names such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon, although where authorities want to promote a lesser-known local variety, it is given the chance to shine. Colli di Scandiano e di Canossa is no exception to these rules: its varietals are made from the 'international' grapes listed above, as well as Malvasia (di Candia) and local oddities Spergola and Malbo Gentile.
The colli (hills) which give the DOC its title are found immediately south of Reggio Nell'Emilia, the town responsible for the semi-sweet wines (mostly Lambrusco but also Ancellotta) of the Reggiano DOC. Around Scandiano and Canossa the hills rise quite dramatically from the Po Valley floor. The two communes are separated by 12 miles (20km) as the crow flies, but while Scandiano lies on the plains just above sea level, Canossa is perched in the hills at an altitude of 1800ft (550m).
The Apennines play a significant part in Emilia-Romagna's wine culture. The Appennino settentrionale hills (northern Apennines) run north-west to south-east through the region, connecting Marche with Piedmont and dividing Emilia-Romagna from Tuscany; the peaks and valleys provide a patchwork of terroir along the way. Further west in the chain are the Colli di Parma and the Colli Piacentini, while east towards the Adriatic Sea are the Colli Bolognesi and ultimately the coastal Colli di Rimini.
