osco Eliceo is a zone along the Adriatic coast in the Ferrara district that consists of a wide strip of dunes extending from south of the Volano mouth of the Po river into the nearby province of Ravenna parallel to the sea. It is a seaside district of pine forests and valleys where the ripening of the grapes is favored by salt-laden breezes from the Adriatic and the heat from the beaches.Among the varieties that contribute to the production of the wines covered by the Bosco Eliceo DOC discipline, the Fortana, known also as Uva d'Oro, boasts the most ancient tradition. In fact, it was introduced into the Ferrara district from the French Cote-d'Or by Renata di Francia, Duchess of Ferrara, who was the daughter of Louis XII and wife of Ercole d'Este. The first plantings of substantial consistency were made in the 18th century, an endeavor that was favored by the variety's excellent capacity of adaptation and the special, sandy nature of the terrain. The variety took so well to the area that it was able to survive without much damage the phylloxera epidemic that swept through Europe at the end of the last century. And many rootstocks in the vineyards are still native types rather than American.
Merlot and Sauvignon were introduced more recently and they, too, have benefited from the favorable environmental conditions, yielding wines that are distinguished from similar products in other areas by their outstanding personalities.
In addition to those three varietal wines, there is a Bosco Eliceo Bianco, which is made from a mixture of Trebbiano, Malvasia and Sauvignon. Despite its seemingly subordinate standing within the DOC discipline, it is a wine that constantly surprises the taster with its elegance and vigor.
