On Thursday June 3rd, Manet Community Health Center is having a virtual fundraiser; June Bloom https://www.manetchc.org/june-bloom/. As part of the fundraiser that evening, people who make a donation of $100 or greater will receive a bottle of wine from my cellar. This opportunity is in addition to the raffle prize of 12 bottles of Southern Italian wines highlighted in my May 15, 2021 blog post https://southernitalywine.com/manet-community-health-center-june-bloom-fundraiser-june-3-2021/. Below are some of the the wines that I have set aside to be given out that evening. As always the wines are from family owned wineries located in Southern Italy that produce natural, low intervention/organic/sustainable wines. See my May 5, 2021 blog post for a discussion of these different winemaking classifications. https://southernitalywine.com/natural-wines-low-or-minimal-intervention-wines-and-the-use-of-additives/

Elena Fucci – Titolo 2016 – is an internationally acclaimed, award winning wine from Elena Fucci. Titolo has been awarded the prestigious Tre Bicchieri award from Gamberro Rosso (Italian’s premier wine guide) every year since 2008. In 2000 Elena assumed management of the family vineyards, started by her grandfather and located in Barile, Potenza, Basilicata. Elena  quickly became a leading producer of Aglianico del Vulture wines; a red wine made with the aglianico grape. Elena produces organic wines that are made in a new state of the art eco-friendly cantina.  The walls are specially designed to allow for proper ventilation to 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 the eco-friendly environment. A historical note: Barile is an ancient Arbereshe` settlement (settled by Albanian immigrants circa 1450-1550) in which the Arbereshe` language, an Albanian dialect, is still spoken.

Antico Castello – Taurasi 2013 –  Francesco and Chiara Romano, brother and sister, in 2007, assumed management of the the family’s vineyards, which are located in San Mango sul Calore, Avellino, Campania.  With the assistance of their parents, Francesco and Chiara produce wines, including the 2013 Taurasi, which is a red wine made with the aglianico grape, in a large modern cellar capable of vinifying more than their annual production of 40,000 bottles. Francesco and Chiara lease  excess capacity to other small local producers who do not have a cantina for vinification. We have found throughout the South it is a common practice to share vinification space. Antico Castello features a modern tasting room that can accommodate large gatherings for tastings, Antico Castello also cultivates figs, cherries and chestnuts.  The winery, named after a castle destroyed in the devastating earthquake of 1980, adheres to organic practices. Unlike many families, the Romano family chose to remain in San Mango sul Calore after the earthquake.

Salvatore Molettieri – Vigne Cinque Querce Taurasi 2010 – In 1983 Salvatore and his father decided to produce wine instead of selling their grapes, as had been the practice of most family owned vineyards up to that time throughout the South. Salvatore paved the way for the over 250 independent wineries located in the Irpinia wine region. Today, Salvatore and his four sons, Giovanni, Giuseppe, Luigi, and Paolo produce about 70,000 bottles per year. The cantina, which is located in Montemarano, Avellino, Campania, is a large nondescript warehouse that features a comfortable tasting area; over the years we have enjoyed numerous tastings with Salvatore and his family. His wines are noted for their intensity, power and high alcohol content. The wines achieve these traits in part due to a late harvest (the first or second week of November), higher elevation of the vineyard and Salvatore’s method of aging wine. His wines, including his sustainable produced Vigna Cinque Taurasi, over the years has received many awards, including multiple Tre Bicchieri from the Italian wine guide Gambero Rosso.

Regina Viarum – Zero 5 Primitivo 2016 –  Elda Maddalena, Pasquale Angelino and their daughter Amalia produce less than 25,000 bottles per year, mostly with the primitivo grape, which is generally associated with winemaking in the Province of Puglia. The Maddalena/Angelino family has been bottling wine since 2003; Elda Maddalena’s family has been harvesting grapes for over 100 years which, prior to 2003, they sold to other producers, but kept a small amount for its “home-made” wine. Zer05, a red natural wine. is aged mostly in stainless steel for 18 months; a small amount is aged in small oak barrels. Regina Viarum, with the assistance of Gennaro Reale, a renown wine consultant, this past year for the first time bottled a natural falanghina wine aged in amphora. Regina Viarum, as do many wineries in the South, has an olive grove from which it makes extra virgin olive oil. Regina Viarum, which translates to “Queen of the Road” is located at the base of Mount Massico in Falciano del Massico. Caserta, Campania. Wines from this area were a favorite of the ancient Romans.

Stefania Barbot – Ion Campi Taurasini 2014- Stefania Barbot and her husband Erminio Spiezia began the winery in 2010. The vineyards are located in Paternopoli, Avellino, Campania. Stefania is from Fruili, northeast Italy; Erminio is from nearby Napoli. Campi Taurasini is a DOC, a subzone of 23 municipalities within the larger Irpinia DOCG. The wine is commonly referred to as the “young brother” of Taurasi. Barbot’s  Ion Campi Taurasini wine is made with aglianico grapes from vines that are up to 70 years old. Barbot adheres to organic practices in the vineyard and minimizes intervention in the cellar as only small amounts of sulfites are added to stabilize the wine. Vincenzo Mercurio, a highly acclaimed wine consultant, assists Barbot in the production of its wines. The name of the Campi Taurasini, Ion, derives from the Greek word “iov” which means purple. The wine spends one year in stainless steel tanks before being bottled. Barbot produces about 15,000 bottles of Campi Taurasini and a Taurasi per annum.

Gulino – Pretiosa Albanello 2018 – Cantine Gulino is located in Siracusa, Sicilia. Pretosia 2018, a white wine, is made with the obscure albanello grape. This ancient grape fell out of favor after World War II as farmers and wine makers replaced the grape with the popular moscato grape. In the late 1980’s Dr. Sebastiano Gulino began his research in an effort to “rediscover” the albanello grape. After years of research and DNA testing, Dr. Gulino found several albanello vines. Today, Cantine Gulino, which was established in 1793 and underwent several iterations from the production of grapes to fruits and vegetables before returning to the production of grapes in the early 1990s, is the only winery to produce a wine 100% from the albanello grape. A few wineries add albanello as a blending grape. Cantine Gulino is an EU certified organic producer. It produces eight different wines for an annual production of about 70,000 bottles. 

Fiorentino – Celsi Irpinia Aglianico 2016 – There is a strong Boston connection with Azienda Agricola Fiorentino. Gianni Fiorentino’s grandfather immigrated to Boston, resided in Chelsea and sent money to Gianni’s family. With money from the United States, the Fiorentino family purchased a vineyard in Paternopoli, Avellino, Campania. In the early 1990’s Gianni’s mother began to make wine for local consumption. In the late 1990’s Gianni and his brother and sister assumed the winemaking operations. Today, Gianni oversees the production of about 10,000 bottles of  Fiorentino wines, which are made in a modern eco-friendly cantina aimed at sustainability as it utilizes solar energy and recovered rainwater to irrigate the vineyard adjacent to the cellar. In the vineyard Fiorentino uses organic fertilization and phytosanitary defense integrated with the total abolition of chemical weeding. Celsi wine, made with the aglianico grape, is named in honor of Gianni’s grandfather’s Massachusetts home-town of Chelsea, MA. (Celsi’s pronunciation in Italian is Chel – see.)

Ventitre` Filari – Primo Uno Fiano di Avellino 2017 –  a white wine made with the fiano grape by Ventitre`Filari, located in Montefredane, Avellino, Campania. Rosello De Bennedetto  and her daughter Rosa, had their first production four years ago from a vineyard that Rosella’s grandfather planted 25 years ago. Before Ventitre`Filari started producing wine, they sold their grapes to Mastroberardino, Feudi San Gregorio and Villa Raiano. In a constant search for high quality, Ventitre`Filari decided to produce a limited quantity of bottles (only 4,000 bottles per year), to preserve the production from invasive mass production techniques and to observe traditional winemaking methods .  The wine is only produced by plants sourced exclusively from Ventitre`Filari vineyards, made up of 23 rows and about a thousand vines. Ventitre in Italian translates to twenty-three and Filari translates to rows. Ventitre`Filari abides by organic viticulture methods, but has not been in operation long enough to be certified organic.

Verrone – Girapioggo Aglianico Cilento IGT 2016 – made with the aglianico grape by Azienda Agricola Verrone Viticolori, located in Cannetiello, a frazione of Agropoli, Salerno, Campania. Paolo and Massimo Verrone manage the family vineyards. Their grandfather purchased the estate while their father was an executive with the Bank of Napoli. Their father, Antonio, started production despite a business schedule that required that he travel during the week.  Originally, Antonio planted primitivo, barbera and other non-indigenous grapes – a common practice in the Salerno Province. Now Paolo and Massimo grow aglianico and fiano grapes. Prior to the estate’s first bottling, Verrone sold grapes to local wineries. Verrone produces 30,000 bottles. In 2004, Verrone joined the Magis Project, an ambitious project on environmental sustainability of viticulture. Verrone’s latest project is the development of two hectares of fiano adjacent to the Rocca Castello, located in Rocca Cilento, a frazione of Lustra, Salerno. Two generations ago the Verrone family sold the Castle; today it is being renovated into a luxury hotel/restaurant. A tasting room on Verrone’s two hectare parcel adjacent to the castle promises to be successful.

Carbone – Stupor Mundi Riserva Aglianico del Vulture 2013 – Carbone winery, located in the town of  Melfi. Potenza, Basilicata,  is headed by sister and brother, Sara and Luca Carbone. Sara directs marketing and Luca oversees operations.  In 1970 their parents planted the first vines consisting of chardonnay, pinot noir and other international grapes. They sold the grapes. The international grapes, however, were not popular in the Aglianico del Vulture wine area, so the family switched to aglianico and fiano grapes. The first vintage, 2005, was released in 2007.  When the family purchased its cellar, which is over 1,000 years old, it was only partially accessible because an earthquake in the 1930s blocked the entrance with over 20 feet of debris. The family discovered the full size of the cellar only after purchase. The cellar was excavated and the walls are made of  volcanic rock, which is an ideal place to age aglianico wines due to its constant temperature and natural humidity.  Carbone several years ago reduced its annual production to 20,000 bottles to focus on quality. Carbone is an organic producer.

Gennaro Papa –  Opimiano Rosso, an easy drinking  red wine made with a blend of three grapes: primitivo (60%), barbera (35%) and piedirosso (5%). The Papa family has owned the vineyard for four generations. In 1999, after many years of selling their grapes Gennaro, with the assistance of his son Antonio, produced a small quantity of wine for local and regional markets. Antonio now directs the family business. Gennaro Papa is located in Falciano del Massico, less than a mile from the winery listed earlier in this blog article: Regina Viarum.  And similar to Regina Viarum, the Papa family embraces the historical significance of the Falciano del Massico DOC. Gennaro Papa Antonio has four different vineyards, one of which is at the highest elevation (280m) in the Southern Falerno del Massico DOC and another one that is over 110 years old.  Antonio vinifies the grapes from the vineyards separately, and blends after a couple of years. Similar to Regina Viarum, Antonio is producing a wine with falanghina grapes. Gennaro Papa produces organic wines.

Camerlengo – Rosso Antelio 2016 – a red wine made with the aglianico grape by Azienda Agricola Camerlengo, Rapolla, Potenza, Basilicata.  Antonio Cascarano, a trained architect, abandoned his profession to become a winemaker, when he inherited the vineyards from his grandfather. The winery is named after a Camerlengo, an administer of the Apostolic Chamber and who in 1250 fiercely defended the local land in the name of the Pope. The Camerlengo was given the land around Rapolla as gratitude for his deed. The name of the winery commemorates this rich history, pays homage to the noble origins and introduces guests to the history and traditions of Rapolla.  A nonconformist, Antonio withdrew his wines from the DOCG designation, and does not belong to the local association of winemakers.  With a total commitment to the production of  a natural wine, Antelio is fermented spontaneously without temperature control for 18 days in chestnut barrels. Antelio is not fined and is unfiltered. Nothing is added to the wine other than a miniscule trace of sulfites at bottling (two to three ppm). Antonio’s first vintage was 2001. Camerlengo, which makes about 18,000 bottles per year, is also certified organic.

Fabiana – Kalema Primitivo Salento IGP 2013 – a red wine made with the primitivo grape by Azienda Agricola Fabiana. The winery is  located in the Manduria wine region in the town of San Georgio Jonico, Taranto, Puglia. Along with the Gioia del Colle wine region in the Province of Bari, Manduria is considered a premiere wine area for the primitivo grape. These two wine areas are more widely known for the production of primitivo wines than the Falerno del Massico area described earlier in this blog post. Another brother/sister combination operate the family winery: Fabiana and Michele Barulli. Their parents, the late Antonio, who recently passed away, and Anna decided to no longer sell their grapes. Although a full time law enforcement officer, Antonio found time to began the production of wine and assist his children in the management of the company. The vineyards are close to the Ionion Sea, which along with a warm windy climate, results in full-bodied deep colored flavorful wines with high alcohol content. Fabiana is responsible for international marketing and Michele manages the vineyard. Fabiana wines adhere to organic practices.

Casula Vinaria – Graminga Colli di Salerno IGP 2013 is a red wine made with the aglianico grape produced by Casula Vinaria, located in the frazione of Mattinelle in the town of Campagna, Salerno, Campania. Casula Vinaria is owned by three cousins, who inherited the farm from their grandparents. Fiorella Iuorio manages the commercial aspects, Daniele Iuorio and Armando Ruggiero manage the vineyard. Armando is also the winemaker. The 3.5 acre farm, which is located in the Picentini area of Salerno, includes both grapes and olives.  The grapes are vinified in an old warehouse, which has been modernized, located on the farm.  The olives are processed at a mill to produce extra virgin olive oil.  The grapes that produce Graminga are from vines at the farm’s highest elevation (250m). Graminga is a natural wine as the spontaneous fermentation, interestingly,  begins in the vineyard. Casula Vinaria produces about 20,000 bottles per annum, of which about 2300 are Graminga. Casula Vinaria is EU certified organic.