On Sunday October 2, 2022, we will be holding a private tasting in connection with raising funds for a public charity. The wines to be tasted will be from various regions of Southern Italy. All wines are from producers that abide by organic or biodynamic and/or natural/low intervention practices. See my May 5, 2021 blog post for a discussion of these different winemaking classifications. Here is the link: https://southernitalywine.com/natural-wines-low-or-minimal-intervention-wines-and-the-use-of-additives/. None of the producers of the wines included in the wine tasting use glyphosate in the vineyard as a means to control weeds. Here is an article on the controversy surrounding the use of glyphosate. https://darik.news/california/monsantos-roundup-linked-to-cancer-a-wine-controversy/721170.html Several of the producers belong to groups that promote independent wineries that abide by eco-friendly practices: RAW WINE, Triple A Movement, Federazione Italiana Vignaioli Indipendti (FIVI) and Vinibuona Italia eco-friendly. These groups are described in the blog post referenced above (except for Vinibuona) and a link for each of these groups is provided below.
Welcoming Wine
Il Fric Aglianico Rosato Paestum 2020 IGP – made with the aglianico grape by Azienda Agricola Casebianche, Torchiara, Salerno, Campania. Il Fric is a dry sparkling wine from the Cilento area of Salerno (south of the Amalfi Coast and the City of Salerno). This is a perfect or 100% natural wine; there are no additives, not even a tiny quantity of sulfites at bottling unlike most natural/low intervention wines. There are no clarifying agents,
despite the second fermentation in the bottle. The only sulfites in the wine naturally occur; sulfites are about 8 parts per million {“ppm”). To provide a perspective: USA allows up to 350 ppm of sulfites to be in wine. Organic producers per EU standards are allowed to add sulfites; but sulfites in organic wines cannot exceed 100 ppm, though most organic producers have ppm far below the EU standard. Note that natural/low intervention winemakers add sulfites generally in amounts less than organic producers. The husband/wife combination of Pasquale Mitrano and Elisabetta Iuorio, both architects, moved from Naples to assume ownership of Elisabetta’s father’s vineyard in the late 1990s. Casebianche, which is a member of RAW WINE (an association of natural/low intervention producers) https://www.rawwine.com/ and FIVI (an association of smaller independent producers) https://www.fivi.it/en/, has an annual production of about 30,000 bottles.
White Wines
Miniere Greco di Tufo 2019 DOCG – made with the greco di tufo grape by Azienda Agricola Dell’Angelo, Tufo, Avellino, Campania. The vineyard is located on the top of abandoned sulfur mines on a steep slope,
which is tended to only by hand. (A jeep ride to the summit is harrowing!) The vineyard thrives in a natural habitat, no pesticides or herbicides, just abundant grasses, wildflowers and butterflies. Dell’Angelo is the only vineyard in Tufo on abandoned sulfur mines, hence, resulting in Dell’Angelo’s unique interpretation of the greco di tufo grape. The proprietor, Angelo Muto, is a multi-generational farmer, but the first in the family to bottle for regional and international markets (in 1983 a small production only for the local market ceased to operate). Prior to his first vintage in 2006, the family sold grapes. In close collaboration with his friend and enologist, Luigi Sarno, Angelo produces an unfiltered low intervention wine that is spontaneously fermented. Only a small amount of sulfites are added at bottling. Angelo produces approximately 22,000 bottles per year. Dell’Angelo is a member of RAW WINE.
Paone 2018 IGP – made with the fiano grape by Cantina del Barone, Cesanali, Avellino, Campania. The young self-taught winemaker and owner, Luigi Sarno, has emerged as one of the
top young winemakers in the Irpinia wine region. Luigi’s great-grandfather and grandfather tended to hazelnut trees and vegetable plots when the land was owned by a baron from Napoli. Luigi’s father purchased the vineyard in 1972. For many years the Sarno family sold its grapes to the large Irpinia producer Mastroberdardino. In 2006, Luigi produced his first label. He cultivates only fiano grapes for the approximately 16,000 bottles produced per year. As are all of Luigi’s wines, Paone is a low intervention wine that is fermented spontaneously. Only a small amount of sulfites are added at bottling. Cantina del Barone also produces hazelnuts, eating grapes and aglianico grapes. The aglianico grapes are for Luigi’s father, who makes his own aglianico based wine for personal consumption. Cantina del Barone is a member of RAW WINE.
Red Wine
Etna Rosso 2019 DOP– made with nerello mascalese (90%) and nerello cappuccino (10%) grapes by Vini Quantico, Linguaglossa, Catania, Sicilia. Giovanni Raiti’s family has been making wine for personal and local consumption since 1900. In 2009, Giovanni decided to produce wine for regional and international markets. The vineyard is located in Solicchiata, which is about a 20 minute drive from Linguaglossa and at the northern ridge of Mt. Etna, an active volcano. With vines that are 80 to 90 years old he works
in collaboration with his good friend and enologist Pietro di Giovanni, who also owns an adjacent vineyard in Solicchiata and produces his own Etna Rosso. Together Pietro and Giovanni share grapes from the vineyards to produce their Etna Rosso. (Giovanni’s Etna Bianco is sourced from a vineyard that he owns in Linguaglossa.) Giovanni and Pietro use no fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides in the vineyard and no commercial yeasts in the cellar, thus producing a low intervention wine. Fermentation is in steel and the must ages in both barrique and tonneaux for a minimum of one year. Vini Quantico produces only about 12,000 bottles per year. Collaboration among small producers is common throughout Southern Italy.
Ciro` Riserva ‘Piu` Vite` 2015 DOC – made with the gaglioppo grape by Azienda Agricola Sergio Arcuri, Ciro Marina, Crotone, Calabria. The grapes are grown in two vineyards, one planted in clay with a little limestone, and one planted in 1980 in clay with loam and red sand. ‘Piu` Vite’ is made from grapes from the older vineyard. It is spontaneously fermented in open ‘palmento’ fermenters in the traditional non-intervention method used by farmers of past generations.
After fermentation the wine is moved to cement tanks by gravity (which lessens the stress on the wine) and ages for four years before bottling. Sergio and his brother Francesco own and manage the small 20,000 bottles per year production. The family has a long tradition of winemaking. Sergio’s and Francesco’s great-grandfather produced wine and olive oil over 120 years ago. But their grandfather sold the family vineyard. Sergio’s and Francesco’s father purchased new land from which he made “cask wine” for locals. In 2009 Sergio and Francesco modernized the cellar and converted the winery to bottling. Sergio is a founding member of the “Ciro` Revolution” which is group of producers that protested the DOC change that allowed a percentage of international grapes to be added to the gaglioppo grape and still be included as a DOC Ciro` wine. The Ciro Revolution producers make their DOC Ciro` only with the gaglioppo grape. Sergio Arcuri is a certified organic winery that produces low intervention wines and belongs to the Triple A Movement, which is a small group of natural/low intervention wineries dedicated to chemical free agriculture and who are artisans and artists https://www.triplea.it/it/ and FIVI.
Fervore 2017 IGP – made with the magliocco dolce grape by Terre di Balbia, Altomonte, Cosenza, Calabria. Giuseppe Chiappetta, an engineer from Cosenza, purchased Terre di Balbia in 2014 with the goal of replanting most of the 8 hectares of vineyard with indigenous grapes and building a cellar to
vinify the grapes.. He promptly replaced the sangiovese and montepulciano grapes with magliocco dolce and galioppo grapes. Giuseppe did keep one hectare of 25 year old merlot vines. To assist with grafting Giuseppe hired Worldwide Vineyards, a French company specializing in grafting techniques. To assist with pruning, Giuseppe hired Somont & Sirich, a Fruilian based school that does not adhere to the pollarding system of pruning; rather it promotes a more “surgical” system that promotes the health and longevity of the plants. Lastly, Gianfranco Fino, renown Pugliese winemaker from Manduria, provides ongoing consultative advice. With the assistance of his consultants and his brother Nicola and his two sons, Terre di Balbia quickly pivoted to producing wines with local grapes. Today the vineyard consists of five hectares of magliocco dolce, two hectares of gaglioppo and one hectare of merlot grapes. Fervore is vinified in a new cellar, Giuseppe utilizes a soft press to lessen the amount of tannins which also lessens the quantity of must. Together with his pruning technique which results in a lower yield of fruit, Giuseppe is pursuing quality over quantity. Terre di Balbia produces about 25,000 bottles per annum. The wines are EU certified organic and contain a low amount of sulfites; 26 to 32 PPM. Terre di Balbia is a member of FIVI.
Uvanera Rosso Molise Riserva 2016 DOC – made with the tintilia grape by La Cantina di Remo, Ferrazzano, Campobasso, Molise. Roberto De Stefano, a self taught agronomist, manages the small family farm located 700 meters high. In 1963
Roberto’s parents, Remo and Elisa, left Torino (Roberto’s birthplace) and returned to Ferrazzano, their land of origin, to farm 10 hectares of land. At first the family grew fruits and vegetables. Remo introduced the barbera grape (more than likely the varietal from adjacent province of Benevento, Campania) from which he made wine for family use. In 2005, Roberto repositioned the vineyard by replacing all grapes with the indigenous tintilia grape. This grape, which was the most widespread grape variety in Molise over 100 years ago, disappeared as a varietal post World War II due to the abandonment of farms. It was “re-discovered” in the late 1990’s. Many wineries now in Molise produce wine with the tintilia grape.
Roberto, who has a second job as a teacher of chemistry at a local school, produces only 6,000 bottles per annum at Cantina di Remo. He is organic in the vineyard; uses only copper and sulfur in the
spring, but does add manure or fava beans as do many organic producers. Roberto has roses that act as sentinels to protect the grapes from disease. He
knows every plant in his eight hectare vineyard and that the northwest section of the vineyard produces the best yield. In the cellar his wines are non-filtered and only a small amount of sulfites is added after two days of fermentation. He ages the wine primarily in stainless steel, but his Riserva will age in oak for two years. Cantina di Remo was designated as Eco-Friendly in 2018 by Vini Buoni d’Italia Touring Club. https://vinibuoni.it/premio-ecofriendly/
Borgo di Gete 2014 IGT – made with tintore grapes by Azienda Agricola Reale Andrea, which is located in the mountainous Amalfi Coast frazione of Borgo di Gete in the town of Tramonti, Salerno, Campania. The vineyard, managed by Luigi and Gaetano Reale, has been owned by the Reale family for over a century. Many vines are more than 80 years old; the thick vine in the photo below is over 130 years old.
The phylloxera aphid insect that destroyed most of the vines in France and Italy in the mid to late 1800’s did not impact Reale’s vines. Luigi is not sure why. It may have been the soil, which like that of many wine areas in Campania, has been enriched by volcanic ash over the centuries, or it could have been Reale’s remote location. The tintore grape is cultivated only on the Amalfi Coast by a few producers. Reale is the only Amalfi Coast winery that produces a wine that is 100% tintore based. The other wineries blend tintore with the piedirosso grape. Borgo di Gete is fermented spontaneously and aged for 18 months in French oak barrels. A low intervention winemaker. Luigi does not use chemicals or machinery in the vineyard. The vines are supported by wooden branch “poles” made from chestnut trees. The vine branches are supported by material from salice plants that are grown in the vineyard, not by rope or twine. Reale, which produces about 11,000 bottles per year, is EU certified organic.
Contrada San Pietro 2018 DOC – made with the primitivo grape by Azienda Agricola Mariangela Plantamura, Gioia del Colle, Bari, Puglia by the husband/wife team of Mariangela Plantamura and Vincenzo Maggialetti. For four generations Mariangela’s family sold their grapes to local producers and cooperatives. In 1996 the vineyard achieved certification as organic and the family started to sell its
grapes to a Tuscan wine group that fermented the grapes in Campania and sold the wine in Switzerland. In 2002 Mariangela and Vincenzo decided that they should stop selling grapes and make wine. Initially, they produced 2,000 bottles. Today they produce between 40,000 to 50,000 bottles per annum. The primitivo grape is of Croatian origin; known as tribidrag and crljenak kastelenski. The grape is called kratosija in Montenegro and Macedonia. And in the US, the grape is called zinfandel. Folklore has Sylvester Stallone’s father, who was born in Gioia del Colle, as the Pugliese immigrant that brought primitivo to California. Mariangela manages the cellar, which is a modest large garage building located behind their primary residence. Vincenzo is in charge of cultivation. They have a low yield selection in the vineyard with the focus on quality. The elevation of the vineyard (350 meters) coupled with the dry winds from the north results in Plantamura being in a great position to produce organic flavorful wines. The wind prevents mildew from setting in and the elevation allows a later harvest than is customary for the primitivo grape as many vineyards of primitivo grapes are planted at less 100 m. Now the winery is experimenting with biodynamic viticulture, and at the same time Mariangela is focusing on addressing the separate differing needs of each plant. Gioia del Colle is one of two important areas for the production of primitivo wines, the other being Manduria, which is located south of Bari. Plantamura is a member of FIVI.
Titolo 2016 DOC – made with the aglianico grape by Azienda Agricola Elena Fucci, Barile, Potenza, Basilicata. Elena with her husband Andrea Manzani produces over 18,000 bottles. Until recently Elena produced only Titolo, but she recently introduced a rose` to the portfolio and this year introduced a wine aged in amphora. Elena’s grandfather Generoso, who moved to Venezuela for about ten years in order to accumulate sufficient funds, purchased the vineyard in the late 1960s. At first the family made wine for local consumption and sold the excess grapes. It was not
until 2000 that Elena produced the estate’s first vintage. Under her direction the winery has been recognized every year for excellence by the Italian wine guide Gambero Rosso by achieving the highly coveted tre bicchieri designation. Her commitment to quality and sustainable viticulture is unwavering. She uses low intervention processes during fermentation as evidenced by the use of the “soft press” method when the grapes are placed in stainless tanks and the weight of the grapes causes a soft press. The wine ages for a year in new French oak barrels and then in the bottle for a year. Her new cantina, which replaced her “garage cantina”, is another example of her adherence to sustainable wine-making. The walls are specially designed to allow for proper ventilation to help cool and heat the space naturally. Most of the building materials are recycled products. With the assistance of specialists in the construction of buildings that use minimal fossil fuel energy sources, Elena vinifies and stores her wine in a building that optimizes the use of sunlight and special construction materials to create an eco-friendly environment. Elena Fucci is a member of FIVI.
Le Drude 2012 DOCG – made with the aglianico grape, Azienda Agricola Michele Laluce, Ginestra, Potenza, Basilicata. Michele Laluce, with his wife Maria and four daughters, operates the winery. Caterina manages the finances of the winery, Maddalena, an enologist, is the wine-maker, Donatella, an agronomist operates the machinery and manages the farm animals, and Michela is studying culinary. The grapes are grown in volcanic soil near the extinct volcano Mt. Vulture. Since 1905 the Laluce family has produced wine, but only since 2001 has the wine been bottled for commercial purposes. Laluce, which produces about 40,000 bottles per year, is EU certified organic. Michele and Maddalena adhere to low intervention winemaking. When the conditions are conducive they they use exclusively natural yeasts in the
fermentation process. Only 10 ppm of sulfites are added at bottling. Le Drude is fermented in stainless steel, aged for two years in oak barrels and for one to two years in the bottle before release. Le Drude was the name that the Piedmontese army gave to the courageous Brigand women of the Vulture area that fought the Piedmontese armed forces post-unification (after 1861). To honor these women Michele named his top wine Le Drude. Another historical note: the town of Ginestra was founded by a community of Albanian exiles led by the condottiere Francesco Zhura, who in 1478 after receiving land from the ruling Aragonese, started the community. The Albanian origins continue to live on in the traditions of the people of Ginestra. The town is designated as an Arbereshe’ community and features street signs written in both Italian and Arbereshe`.
Poliphemo Vite Vecchie 2015 DOCG – made with the aglianico grape by Luigi Tecce, Paternopoli, Aveliino, Campania. Luigi Tecce was not groomed to be a farmer or winemaker. After graduating from college, he worked in Rome as an assistant to a member of the Italian parliament. His boss lost in an upset and Luigi returned home. Suddenly in 1997 his father died and it caused Luigi to be in charge of the family property, which included olive trees, goats, sheep, and of course vines. Luigi produces about 10,000 bottles per year. The Poliphemo, which is a Taurasi wine, ages in chestnut barrels for 40 days, followed by 24 months in 500 liter French barrels, then 12 months in stainless steel. His farm is organic, but is not EU certified as he does not want to bother with the bureaucracy. He has minimal presence on social media. Luigi devotes his energy to making wines. Luigi’s wines are the result of vineyard selections, a handbasket soft press and mixing the final barrels and from time-consuming and careful tending during harvest where he makes three passes. The first picking is in early October, the grapes are not completely ripe, so they add extra acidity and freshness. This first batch also serves as a starter fermenter or “pied de cuve”. The majority of the grapes are picked in late October. Luigi picks the final bunches in early November.
Luigi’s winemaking philosophy is described on the back label of his wines, which translates into English as follows: no selected yeasts, no enzymes, no bacteria added to assist malolactic fermentation, no added tannins, no deacidifying, no clarifing, no filtering and no arabic gum added to the wine. He is a low intervention winemaker who does not adhere to conventional winemaking norms. Tecce is a member of Triple A.
Nero Ne` 2015 DOP – made with the aglianico grape by Il Cancelliere Azienda Vitivinicola, Montemarano, Avellino, Campania. Il Cancelliere is a family affair. Soccorso Romano, the patriarch, started the commercial production of the wines in 2005. Soccorso’s and his wife Pasqualina’s two children and their
children’s spouses are actively engaged with the winery: Enrico Romano and his wife Rita and Nadia Romano and her husband Claudio. The family estate, originally was 70 hectares, but over the years the estate has been divided among family members. Il Cancelliere estate now consists of seven hectares of which two hectares are dedicated to fruits, vegetables and wheat for pasta. In addition, Il Cancelliere raises sheep and rabbits. Nero Ne` is a natural Taurasi. After spontaneous fermentation there is aging in stainless steel for six months on the lees, 24 months in Slavonian wood 35/50 hectoliter barrels and another year in Slovonian 5 hectoliter barrels and finally 36 months in the bottle before release. There is no filtration, no clarification, no stabilization and no added sulfites. This is a perfect natural wine. Il Cancelliere, which produces about 20,000 bottles per annum, is a member of Raw Wine,
Two Extra Wines for the Host
Piancastelli 2015 IGT – made with the pallagrello nero and casavecchia grapes by Terre del Principe Societa` Agricola, Castel Campagnano, Caserta, Campania. Peppe Mancini and Manuela Piancastelli became interested in wine making after they were established in their careers as an attorney and journalist, respectively. Peppe recalling the days of his youth when his grandfather would make wine from pallagrello grapes (both the pallagrello nero and pallagrello bianco), forgotten grapes from a bygone era, dedicated himself to reviving these nearly extinct grapes. While doing so, Peppe rediscovered the casavecchia grape. Meanwhile Manuela working as a journalist interviewed Peppe about his quest to revive these long forgotten grapes. A lifetime partnership ensued. Manuela and Peppe got married and together they became dedicated to producing wine from the pallagrello and casavecchia grapes. After a collaboration with another winery ended, Peppe and Manuela started Terre del Principe in 2003. Piancastelli wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks, and aged in new oak barrels (30%)
and one year old oak barrels (70%) and 18 months in the bottle. The wine ages in Terre del Principe’s historical wine cellar. It is 10 meters deep in the heart of the earth. The 100 square meter ancient cave of tufa stone was entirely dug out by hand, as noted by thousands of chisel marks. It dates back to the 10th century which is the period in which the town of Castel Campagnano was founded. Terre del Principe, as many other wine producers in Southern Italy, is moving away from the use of barrique barrels to the larger Tonneau barrels. Terre del Principe, which produces about 20,000 bottles per year, is EU certified organic and a member of FIVI.
Ragis Costa D’Amalfi 2015 DOC – made with a blend of aglianico (60%) and piedirosso (40%) grapes by Le Vigne di Rait0 Azienda Agricola Agriturista Biologica, Raito (a frazione of Vietri sul Mare, the most eastern town on the Amalfi Coast), Salerno, Campania. The owner, Patrizia Malanga, purchased the terraced land in 2001. It took Patrizia six years before she produced her first vintage. To appreciate
the difficult labor to be encountered by her workers associated with maintaining a terraced vineyard,
Patrizia, herself, planted the vineyard. The aglianico and piedirosso grapes are vinified separately in stainless steel fermentation vessels where they macerate for over 15 days under controlled temperature. Then the two wines are transferred into 500 liter French oak barrels and assembled before malolactic fermentation begins. The wine ages in the barrels (25% new and 75% second and third passage) for 12 months before it is bottled. After some racking procedures and without any further interventions such as clarification or filtration, Ragis continues to age in the bottle. The winery features a spectacular vista from its tasting patio over looking the Gulf of Salerno. Le Vigne di Raito produces less than 5,000 bottles per year. It is EU certified organic and produces low intervention wines.
