LE COSTE
Gambrinus 2017
Lazio, Italy
When this wine was first made in 2010, it attained a cult-like status amongst wine lovers. After a long wait, we are thrilled to have received a little of the second iteration of Gambrinus. This is Aleatico from the old vineyards that usually go into their Alea Jacta Est, that in this vintage never reached full maturity. The whole bunches were left to infuse for three months, before being pressed off to old casks for three years of élevage. Much like its predecessor, the result is an ethereal, fragile and hauntingly beautiful wine that pairs delicate notes of sour berries, minerals and rose to gorgeous effect.
Aleatico
ABOUT THE PRODUCER
Gianmarco Antonuzzi and Clémentine Bouveron tend around 14 hectares of land, with vineyards amongst olive groves, chestnut trees, shrubs and oaks. Sat around Lago di Bolsena near Gianmarco’s childhood town of Gradoli in Lazio’s north, the soils are volcanic, rich in iron and minerals.
Vines are planted at a density of up to 10,000 plants per hectare, from a mix of massale selections and ungrafted vines. Everything is done by hand, with careful attention to the needs of each plant and while biodynamic principles are employed, the approach here goes above and beyond.
Each year they produce a dizzying number of different wines which are vinified in an ancient cellar in the village’s centre where nothing is added at any stage. To taste here is a real treat, Gianmarco is a master of élevage and a real patience in this respect results in some of the purest, most delicious wines we have tried. This is a fascinating project, where the passion and dedication of two people is single handedly putting one of Italy’s lesser known villages firmly on the map.