Leonardo da Vinci and his journey in Romagna: Rocca di Cesena

In 1502 Leonardo da Vinci spends six months of his life in Romagna, at the court of Cesare Borgia, known as “The Valentino”.
Cesare Borgia has recently conquered the Duchy of Romagna, with the support of Pope Alexander VI and the King of France Louis XII. It was the Duke of Valentino himself who turned to Leonardo da Vinci, already known in Milan, to verify the state of the fortifications present in the newly conquered duchy and to propose any structural improvements, where necessary.
Leonardo da Vinci thus undertakes his journey through Romagna, among fortresses, ports, squares and architectures, visiting cities such as Cesena, Cesenatico, Rimini, Faenza and Imola. Admiring those places, Leonardo kept a record of them among sketches and notes in his notebooks (such as the “Codex L” preserved in the original at the Institut de France in Paris and in reproduction at the Maritime Museum of Cesenatico).

Following this journey, Cantine Leonardo da Vinci wishes to commemorate this undertaking and the strong bond between Leonardo and wine through the collection 1502 Da Vinci in Romagna: a line dedicated to the wines of the best Romagnol vineyards produced following the indications of the Leonardo® Method, namely the wine production protocol branded Cantine Leonardo da Vinci, which draws inspiration precisely from Leonardo’s studies in the field of winemaking.
A special tour in five cities, touching places rich in beauty: that which Leonardo captures in the drawings made at each stage of his journey and reproduced on the labels of the wines in this collection.

Leonardo da Vinci’s stop in Cesena brings the artist to visit one of Cesare Borgia’s favourite cities. Arriving at what is now Piazza del Popolo, Leonardo made sketches of the walls and the main fortification overlooking the square: the Rocca Malatestiana. To the sketches of this fortress and its massive surrounding walls, Leonardo integrated ingenious defensive solutions, continuing the task assigned to him by Valentino to review the fortified structures of the duchy. The wine inspired by this stage of Leonardo’s journey is, precisely, the “Rocca di Cesena” and features on the label the sketch of the Rocca Malatestiana and the walls he designed.