Italian viticulture is astonishingly diverse, and among its lesser-known treasures are the so-called “wines from the sands”, produced in areas with sandy or predominantly sandy soils (over 60%). These are soils poor in nutrients but rich in potential: light, permeable, and easy to work. Here, vines grow in extreme conditions, giving life to wines with a gentle yet lively soul: fresh, aromatic, light in both body and color, with low alcohol content and delightful drinkability.
These wines are not the result of muscular winemaking, but rather of the most genuine peasant tradition linked to a daily, simple, and spontaneous style of consumption. Wines meant to be enjoyed young, in good company, alongside a board of cured meats or a grilled dish of freshwater fish.
Bosco Eliceo: A Rare Terroir of Sand, Sea, and History
The heart of this wine type lies in the Regional Park of the Po Delta, between the Reno river mouth and the broader delta of the Po. We are in the Ferrara area, a land swept by sea breezes, where dense fog rises and the salty soil even keeps phylloxera at bay. Here, vines grow on their own roots, ungrafted—an absolute rarity in Europe.
In this landscape, as harsh as it is evocative, the Bosco Eliceo Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) was born. Its name recalls the ancient holm oak forests (lecci) that once stretched along the coast. The DOC has a limited but strongly identity-driven production: honest wines, deeply rooted in the territory, made from international varieties like Merlot and Sauvignon, but above all from native grapes such as Trebbiano, Malvasia Bianca di Candia, and Fortana.
Fortana: A Sparkling Red, Ancient and Popular
Fortana, also known as Golden Grape, is the symbolic variety of this area. Cultivated since the Middle Ages, legend has it that it was brought from Burgundy to Ferrara in the 1500s, thanks to the marriage between Renée of France and Ercole II d’Este, becoming a genetic and oenological asset of the Este court.
It’s a rustic, productive grape, favored by farmers for its resistance to the region’s tough conditions. Its productivity earned it the nickname "fruttana", which is said to have evolved into Fortana. The wines it yields are mostly sparkling, made through natural refermentation in bottle or in autoclave. Their style is reminiscent of Lambrusco, though with a distinct character.
In the glass, Fortana shows a beautiful bright ruby red color, a lively froth, a vinous and fragrant nose, and a dry, fresh sip with good acidity. It pairs beautifully with typical dishes from Ferrara’s cuisine, from cured meats (like salama da sugo) to the eel of the Comacchio valleys, a queen of the local table—served marinated, grilled, or stewed.
A (Re)Discovered Wine: From Rustic Staple to Territorial Symbol
Long relegated to local and family consumption, Fortana is now experiencing a modest renaissance. Some wineries are enhancing its potential through careful work in the vineyard and cellar. The focus is on more refined vinification, on territorial identity, and on returning to wine as an honest, everyday product that tells the story of a place.
The wines from the sands of Bosco Eliceo, and Fortana in particular, are among the most authentic expressions of Italian viticulture: wines that don’t seek the “wow” effect, but instead speak the language of the land, of memory, of conviviality. Drinking a Fortana means drinking a piece of Delta history.
