BELDEMONIO

Beldemonio di Poggio della Dogana is a Red Vermouth produced from Sangiovese grapes grown in Castrocaro Terme and Terra del Sole, to which – in this alcoholic infusion in red wine – sugar, alcohol, herbs and spices.

It is aged for 12 months in barriques, followed by a 3-month infusion with herbs and spices to develop the flavour, and a minimum of 4 months’ further ageing in the bottle.

The label design, taken from Silvio Gordini’s preparatory studies, likely represents the rebirth of nature – the meeting of Zephyr and Chloris from which Flora is born – characterised by fresh colours and a lively sense of movement. The upward circular movement draws the eye towards the transformation taking place.

Beldemonio was a track horse, blessed with a perfect physique; his legs and hooves were solid and well-balanced.
He made a name for himself, however, for his solitary and combative temperament towards the other horses in the stable.
It was a real feat to train him and bring out his natural talents. Thanks to the tenacity of his grandfather Gino, however, he became one of the stable’s strongest champions.

In the Romagna Apennines, amidst the woods and steep slopes of Modigliana, the Ronchi di Castelluccio was born in the 1970s, marking the first quality wine experience from a single vineyard in Romagna. A visionary project conceived in 1974 by intellectual and director Gian Vittorio Baldi, who foresaw the extraordinary potential of these cold, wooded hills, pioneering the concept of zoning in Romagna. Among the first to support him was Luigi Veronelli, who, like Baldi, believed that the true identity of a wine should emerge from the most authentic expression of the territory.

The estate spans between 253 and 411 meters above sea level, on ancient soils formed millions of years ago when the sea receded: marl and sandstone, sands, and calcified clays that still resurface today, telling a submarine past. The vines root in poor, loose, and calcareous soils, with slopes reaching up to 40%, constantly caressed by the Adriatic breeze and surrounded by a rich biodiversity of broom, oaks, chestnuts, and ancient olive trees. When fog envelops the valley, the hills emerge like islands, offering a unique and enchanting spectacle.

Here, the “ronchi” are born: small clearings manually reclaimed from the forest, each with unique characteristics of exposure, soil, and microclimate. From these plots, single-vineyard wines come to life, where Sangiovese, Sauvignon Blanc, and Cabernet Sauvignon express distinct and profound identities. The yields are extremely low, and the work is entirely artisanal: manual pruning, organic fertilization, natural grassing, and measured treatments based on copper and sulfur. In the winery, the grapes are vinified separately with fermentations in steel or large oak vats; aging continues in French barriques with delicate toasting and then in the bottle, in search of balance, tension, and longevity.

Since 2020, the estate has been led by brothers Aldo Rametta and Paolo Rametta, who have chosen to revitalize this historic project by returning to the separate vinification of each ronco, following the original vision. Today, Ronchi di Castelluccio is the meeting point between art, nature, and oenological rigor: a place where wine becomes a narrative of the landscape, memory, and an authentic and vertical Romagna.