Southern Italy Wine Culinary Travel Resource

Advocates Sixth Annual Gala November 10, 2022 Wines to be Auctioned

NOTE – the Silent Auction to bid on these 12 bottles of eco-friendly wines is now open. Please go to this link to bid https://cbo.io/bidapp/index.php?slug=advocates&fbclid=IwAR1SUZ2JuCnwHASZQTcfnm6ZfjZM8wwFmgEqdBZeWrybGieQjNIXiNtQhGQ

 

 

On November 10, 2022 Advocates, Inc., a charitable organization that champions people who face developmental, mental health or other life challenges, is hosting its sixth annual gala.  https://www.advocates.org/advocates-6th-annual-gala-champions. The above collection of wines will be auctioned off to assist in raising funds in connection with the Gala. These wines are from various Southern Italy regions: Sicilia, Calabria, Campania, Basilicata, Puglia and Molise. The wines are produced by small family owned and operated “eco-friendly” wineries with annual productions as low as 2,000 bottles and a high of about 45,000 bottles. The wineries are organic in the vineyard and practice low intervention in the cellar, i.e. no additives to alter the tasting profile. In fact two of the wines, Il Cancelliere’s Nero Ne` and Casabianche’s Il Fric are 100% natural wines in that they have no additives used in the wine making process – including no sulfites added. The other wines use a minimum amount of sulfites at bottling, all far below standards for organic wines. For more information on natural/low intervention and organic wines please go to the following link.  https://southernitalywine.com/natural-wines-low-or-minimal-intervention-wines-and-the-use-of-additives/ Below is a description of wines starting with the front row, left to right.

Ventitrefilari Numero Primo 2018 – an organic white wine produced by Azienda Agricola De Benedetto Rossella, located in Montefredane, Avellino, Campania. Rossesella and her daughter Rosa produce only about 4,000 bottles per annum of this wine which is made with the fiano grape. Rossella’s first vintage was in 2017.

Bob, Rosa, Rossella and Ro in Ventitre` Filari vineyard
Bob, Rosa, Rossella and Ro in Ventitrefilari vineyard

Uvanera Tintilia Riserva 2016 – an organic red wine produced by Azienda Agricola De Stefano Remo, located in Ferrazzano, Campobasso, Molise. Roberto, who teaches high school chemistry,  assumed management of the family vineyard in 2005 and replanted the vineyard with indigenous grapes. In 2009 Robert bottled his first vintage. Robert produces only about 6,000 bottles per year. Uvanera Tintilia Riserva is made with the little known tintilia grape.

Cantina di remo
Cantina di remo vineyard

Aliseo 2020 – a natural/low intervention and EU certified organic white wine produced by Azienda Agricola Reale Andrea, located in Gete, a frazione of Tramonti, Salerno, Campania. Luigi and his brother Gaetano manage the Amalfi Coast winery. They also operate an osteria located at the winery. Reale starting producing wine from its 100 year old vineyards in 2002. Prior to 2002 the family sold its grapes. Reale produces about 11.000 bottles per year. Aliseo is a blend of three indigenous grapes: biancazita, biancolella and pepella.

Reale
View from Osteria Reale patio

Fervore 2017 – an organic red wine produced by Azienda Agricola Terre di Balbia, located in Altomomte, Cosenza, Calabria. Giuseppe Chiapetta , an engineer from Cosenza, in 2014 purchased Terre di Balbia and immediately replaced many of the vines with indigenous vines. Giuseppe produces about 25.000 bottles per year. Fervore is made with the indigenous magliocco dolce grape.

Terre di Balbia vineyard
Terre di Balbia vineyard

Piancastelli 2014 – an EU certified organic red wine produced by Terre del Principe Agricola Societa` a.r.l., located in Castel Campagnano, Caserta, Campania. The husband/wife team of Peppe Mancini (an attorney) and Manuela Piancastelli (journalist) started production of their wines in 2003. They produce about 20.000 bottles per year. Piancastelli is made with two indigenous grapes that Peppe “rediscovered” after many years of neglect: pallagrello nero and casavecchia.

Peppe, Bob, Manuela and Ro at Terre del Principe vineyard
Peppe, Bob, Manuela and Ro at Terre del Principe vineyard

Piu` Vite 2015 – a natural/low intervention and EU certified organic red wine produced by Azienda Agricola Sergio Arcuri, located in Ciro` Marina, Crotone, Calabria. Sergio with assistance of his brother Francesco modernized the family cantina and produced their first vintage in 2009. They produce about 20,000 bottles per year. Piu` Vite is a Ciro` Riserva made with the gaglioppo grape.

Ro with Sergio Arcuri's brother Francesco at Arcuri's vineyard
Ro with Sergio Arcuri’s brother Francesco at Arcuri’s vineyard

Il Fric 2020 – a natural (no additives at all) and EU certified organic sparkling rose` wine produced by Azienda Agricola Casebiance, located in Torchiara, Salerno, Campania. Pasquale Mitrano and Betty Iuorio in the late 1990s left their architect profession to assume the operation of Betty’s family farm and produced their first vintage in 2007. They produce about 30,000 bottles per year. Il Fric is a made with the aglianico grape.

Bob, Betty, Ro and Pasquale at Casebianche vineyard
Bob, Betty, Ro and Pasquale at Casebianche vineyard

Contrada San Pietro – an EU certified organic red wine produced by Azienda Agricola Mariangela Plantamura, located in Gioia del Colle, Bari, Puglia. Mariangela started bottling wine in 2002 after many years of her family selling grapes. Mariangela produces about 45,000 bottles per year. Contrada San Pietro is made with the primitivo grape.

Mariangela with daughter Alessia in vineyard. Mariangela is transferring responsibility of the company to Alessia and her sister Chiara
Mariangela with daughter Alessia in vineyard. Mariangela is transferring responsibility of the company to Alessia and her sister Chiara

Fren – an organic red wine produced by Stefania Barbot Vini a/k/a Azienda Agricola Kifra, located in Paternopoli, Avellino, Campania. Stefania Barbot and her husband Erminio Spiezia purchased their vineyard in 2010 and produced their first bottling in 2013. Barbot produces about 15,000 bottles per year. Fren is a Taurasi wine made with the aglianico grape.

Bob and Ro with Erminia at Barbot cantina
Bob and Ro with Erminia at Barbot cantina

Nero Ne` – a natural (no additives at all) and organic red wine produced by Il Cancelliere/Azienda Vitivinicolo Pizza Rita, located in Montemarano, Avellino, Campania. Soccorso Romano, the patriarch, after many years of selling grapes, in 2005 produced the first bottling. Today the entire family is involved with the production, headed by daughter-in-law Rita Pizza. Il Cancelliere produces about 20,000 bottles per year. Nero Ne` is a Taurasi wine made with the aglianico grape.

Aglianico grapes from Il Cancelliere
Aglianico grapes from Il Cancelliere

Cuore di Marchesa – a natural/low intervention and organic red wine produced by Pietro Di Giovanna of Etna Nord Producers and Papa Maria, located in Castiglione. Catania, Sicilia. Pietro is an enologist who decided in 2016 to bottle wine from his family vineyard. He produces between 2,000 to 5,000 bottles per year. Cuore di Marchesa is an Etna Rosso made with the nerello mascelese and nerello cappuccio grapes.

Bob. Giovanni Raiti, Pietro di Giovanni, Ro and Cedric Perroud in Quantico and Marchesa cellar
Bob. Giovanni Raiti, Pietro di Giovanni, Ro and Cedric Perroud in Quantico and Marchesa cellar

Le Drude – a natural/low intervention and organic red wine produced by Azienda Agricola Laluce, located in Ginestra, Potenza, Basilicata. Michele Laluce bottled his first vintage in 2001 after his family had sold grapes for over 80 years. Along with his four daughters that now assist him, Michele produces about 40,000 bottles per year. Le Drude is an Aglianico del Vulture Superiore made with the aglianico grape.

Michele Laluce drawing wine for a "barrel tasting"
Michele Laluce drawing wine for a “barrel tasting”