A remote area of Southern Italy is poised to take the international market by storm with a group of small family operated wineries that abide by organic/natural methods in the vineyard and cellar. The Ciro` DOC is located midway on the Ionian side of the Calabria peninsula and includes the towns of Ciro’, Ciro’ Marina, parts of Crucoli and Melissa. This year the DOC celebrates its 50th anniversary. The DOC features the gaglioppo (red) and the grieco (white) grapes. There are 2,500 hectares (about 6,175 acres), 300 wine growers, 54 wine-makers and 45 bottlers with a 2018 production of approximately 4 million bottles. Approximately 45% of the wine is exported, primarily to Germany, USA, Switzerland, England, Holland. Belgium. Canada and Belgium. Eighty per cent of the DOC wine is made with the gaglioppo grape, the balance of wine is made with the grieco grape.
The DOC topography is conducive for the gaglioppo grape, which thrives in sunny, hot days, cool nights and dry overall weather. The high altitude (approximately 500m) together with the adjacent sea results in beneficial temperature ranges. In addition, the mountains to the west serve as a buffer from rainy weather, thus the DOC features little rain.
Over the years the Azienda Agricola Librandi has been the most well-known international winery from the DOC. Librandi, founded in 1953, has an annual production in excess of 2.5m bottles of both DOC wines and non-DOC wines. Another well-known international winery is 1845 Ippolito. This winery commenced operations in 1845 and now produces approximately 1m bottles per annum. Together these wineries have been standard bearers for the Ciro` DOC. In fact, when I began my interest and passion (or as some would say obsession!) with Southern Italian wine, Librandi and 1845 Ippolito were mainstays in my fledgling wine cellar.
Coinciding with a change in DOC specification in 2010, that allowed up to 20% international grapes to be blended with the gaglioppo grape, a group of producers rebelled against the change. This group originally was dubbed the “Ciro` Boys”, but that name changed to the “Ciro` Revolution” as one of the leading producers of the group is a woman. Who are the “members” of this collaboration: Tenuta del Conte, ‘A Vita, Cataldo Calabretta, Cote di Franze, Fezzigna Vini, Dell’ Acquila, Sergio Arguri and Scala. Although not part of the Ciro` Revolution, there are two other producers who I include as honorary members because their organic/natural wine making philosophy is in sync with the Ciro` Revolution: Du Cropio from Ciro` Marina and Ceraudo from Stongoli, which is located in the adjacent Melissa DOC.
Of the ten producers listed above we have visited five: ‘A Vita, Cataldo Calabretta, Sergio Arcuri, Du Cropio and Ceruado. Follow the link to review my blog post on my visit to these five producers. https://southernitalywine.com/recap-2017-southern-italy-visit-part-one-calabria-extra-virgin-olive-oil-wine-and-food/
These ten producers practice low intervention organic, biodynamic and natural wine making in an artisanal manner. Several are leaders in the natural independent wine movement. Cataldo Calabretta (in the top photo with his mother Anita, Ro and me) is a member of Raw Wine http://www.rawwine.com. Raw Wine members meet the following requirements: (1) organic grapes grown without the use of chemicals, (2) wine produced by hand using artisanal techniques, (3) wine made with traditional processes that enable balance, (4) create a living wine, with low intervention in the cellar, and (5) promote well being in individuals and communities. Sergio Arcuri is a member of the Triple A Movement http://www.triplea.it – Agricoltori Artigiani Artisti (Farmers Artisans Artists). The Movement was started in response to the standardization of wines throughout the world. The Three A’s promote farmers that produce healthy and ripe grapes with natural agronomic interventions; artisans that do not alter the original structure of grapes and do not alter the structure the wine; and artists that give life to a great wine where the characteristics of the territory and wine are exalted. Francesco De Franco of ‘A Vita is Regional Delegate of the Italian Federation of Independent Winemakers (FIVI). FIVI promotes the quality and authenticity of Italian wines. http://www.fivi.it
What is meant by minimal or low intervention in the cellar? Perhaps it would be informative, first, to focus on permitted additives (of which there are 76 authorized) that are routinely added to alter wines. These additives are not prevalent in low intervention wines. Here are a few of the additives that are not added to low intervention wines: tartaric acid to boost the acidity in white wines, sugar to adjust alcohol, egg whites or bentonite to clarify wines and remove tannins, fish bladder to remove proteins, yeast and other organic particles which are in suspension in the wine making, nonindigenous or cultured yeasts, powdered tannins for texture and astringency, gum arabic to soften tannins and reduce astringency to make a red wine more silky or the magic potion Mega Purple. Mega Purple is a concentrate made with the Rubired grape, a hybrid grape grown exclusively in San Joaquin Valley, CA. A couple of drops of the gooey concentrate are added to red wine to add color, make the wine sweeter and cover up flawed flavors. It is prevalent in wines produced in large quantities at a low-cost and even some high-end wines. The wine conglomerate, Constellation Wine Company produces this Mega Purple and reportedly sells over 10,000 gallons of it per annum. Although few wineries will admit to the use of Mega Purple, based on its annual sales, it is widely used.
Of the 76 additives, how many are added to natural wines? Some natural wine makers add none and others add one. To preserve wine, some natural wine makers will add sulfites at bottling at an amount far below permissible amounts that can be added to a wine to still be classified as biodynamic or organic. Note not all biodynamic and organic wines are classified as natural. Natural wines use native or wild yeasts from their own grapes resulting in spontaneous fermentation, whereas non-natural wines use non-indigeneous yeasts for a controlled fermentation. In the vineyard, natural, biodynamic and organic producers do not use chemicals or pesticides. They only use organic and natural products.
The producers highlighted in this blog adhere to natural winemaking practices. Several have returned to older methods of fermentation and aging. Sergio Arcuri fermentation cccurs in open “palmento” fermenters. Sergio Arcuri and Cataldo Calabretta age wine in cement tanks, and now Mariangela Parrilla of Tenuta del Conte is switching to cement tanks for aging. She also uses fiberglass and steel for aging. Roberto Ceraudo is halfway through a 30 year effort to return his vineyard to its natural state of 100 years ago. Roberto wants to eliminate all machinery from the vineyard with the belief that all the beneficial plants, insects and animals of 100 years ago will return the vineyard to its natural state.
Here is a brief description of the taste or vino sfuso of the Ciro` Marina DOC Rosso. The wine has a saltiness due to a combination of limestone in the soil and the sea. It is a full body wine with scents of cherry, violet and liquorice. With the heat and dry climate the wine opens up more readily than northern wines. Note these scents and texture vary from producer to producer.
If you want a “clean healthy” wine, try a wine from one of the Ciro` Revolution producers.
