ORA Romagna Sangiovese Superiore DOC 2012 [San Patrignano] 75cl

Medium Body, Dry (Sangiovese).

Venture outside Tuscany and try this single variety Romagna Sangiovese DOC Superiore.

ORA is produced at the SanPa charity estate* (drink for a good cause!) in Emilia-Romagna, on the east coast of the Italian peninsula, where the vines look out to the Adriatic Sea.

* The winery of San Patrignano is so much more than an award-winning wine estate. It is a home for young people who have lost their way and a community project that pours love and hope into every bottle of wine.

In the east of Emilia-Romagna, atop the hills of Rimini and looking out to the Adriatic Sea, a charismatic visionary by the name of Vincenzo Muccioli set out to make a difference in the world and change people's lives by offering them a place to start anew - to foster hope in the future and pride in their work. Taking in people from all over Italy who had fallen onto bad times, often through drug addiction, he gave them a place to stay and a trade to learn. He understood that to help people turn their lives around he had to encourage them to work the land, to feel the soil in their hands and know what it is to nurture life (in this case, caring for the growth of noble grape vines). In doing so, they would go on to find meaning in their own lives and strive for a better life.

Since its beginnings in 1978, the estate has helped more than 25,000 people. San Patrignano, or Sanpa as it is affectionately known by its residents, is one big family. Each person stays for 3 to 5 years and in 2013 nearly 1400 called this estate their home. After Vincenzo died in 1995, his vision lived on through hundreds of volunteer leaders. Sanpa is now managed by the very people who once came to Vincenzo for help, and now work to continue his legacy of helping others. Residents at Sanpa talk about it as a "place where everyone is equal" and "a home, a family, where your past doesn't matter." They see it as a place for "healing the wounds that life has inflicted on you." This healing begins with hard work and commitment to a goal. The estate symbolises a belief in life and what better way to do that than though wine - the lifeblood of Italian culture.

The winery works with international and local grapes to produce outstanding wines. The endemic Sangiovese vine (unique to Emilia-Romagna, with a different DNA to the Sangiovese cultivated elsewhere for wines such as Brunello di Montalcino) is perfect for the wonderful terroir of Romagna and produces wine known for its soft and rich character. Experienced wine consultants, including Italy's famous Riccardo Cotarella - nicknamed the "wine wizard" - oversee the Sanpa portfolio. The production process utilises manual labour such as harvesting by hand to involve as many residents in the winemaking as possible. The result is a collection of extraordinary wines that top most wine rating lists and offer exceptional value for money.

San Patrignano, as the legacy of Vincenzo Muccioli, represents a sense of hope for the future. It is a reminder to love your fellow man and cherish life. As one resident says, "the key to Sanpa is family spirit - you feel it in your heart". The wines from Sanpa are infused with this family spirit and ask only to be drunk and enjoyed - and ideally shared with your own family and friends.