
'A Vita Calabria "Il Rosso" 2022
- In stock, ready to ship
Legend holds that wines from DOC Cirò were once served to ancient Olympic champions, but the small Calabrian town is better-known today for its connections to the 'Ndrangheta crime group than for viticulture. 'A Vita, helmed by Calabrian local Francesco de Franco, is one of a small cohort of natural producers working to revive the area’s winemaking traditions.
Francesco was inspired after moving north for university, where he met his wife, Laura, a native of Friuli Venezia Giula. The more he learned about natural winemaking, the more he became convinced of its potential to showcase his hometown’s natural terroir. Laura followed him back south, where they purchased four vineyards in Cirò — three in the hillsides and one seaside site near the town’s port. Their proximity to the Mediterranean softens the heat of hot Calabrian summers and provides access to cooling breezes that reduce disease pressure on the vines.
The wines beautifully showcase the region’s native Gaglioppo, a pale black grape descended from Sangiovese and cousin to Nerello Mascalese. Their 'il Rosso' also includes 8% Magliocco, another indigenous variety with softer tannins and slightly bolder color. Still, the wine is almost tawny in the glass, with a nose of cherry pie, salted orange rind, dried rose petals and dusty clay bricks. With its ultra-powdery tannins, it reminds me of a juicier Nebbiolo, and has the acid and spice to pair with anything from steak to five-spice duck.-Kate Masters
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