Growing mainly in northern Italy's Emilia-Romagna region and surrounding areas, the white Albana variety has been cultivated in the region since the 13th century. Legend has it that Galla Placidia, daughter of Emperor Theodosius, first tasted Albana from an earthenware cup and exclaimed that such a noble wine shouldn't be served in so humble a vessel, but instead in "berti d'oro", or goblets of gold. From that point on, in the court of Ravenna, the wine was served in golden goblets exclusively. Albana was in fact the first white wine in Italy to have received DOCG status. The grapes are high in sugar, have high acidity and high quantities of tannins in their seeds and skins, rendering them suitable as a base for a variety of styles. Four of them are covered by the production guidelines: secco, amabile, dolce and passito. The best expressions are smooth yet crisp, with notes of nut and mineral. In its dry form, Albana is well paired with sea bass, baked pasta with calamari, pasta stuffed with turbot, lobster and mullet. The amabile, dolce and passito wines are best served at the end of the meal alongside fruit and dessert.