AJOLA
Rossetto 2019
Umbria, Italy
Sangiovese from thirty year old vines planted over clay. This spent a week on skins, followed by six months in vat. A light, bright and highly original take on one of Italy’s great grapes, varietal notes of bright cherry and balsamic are at the fore, while the grape’s hallmark acidity lends great freshness. We can’t get enough of this.
Sangiovese
ABOUT THE PRODUCER
Ajola is a small farm situated in the rolling hills outside Orvieto, at the crossroads of Umbria, Lazio and Tuscany.
Jacopo Battista farms three and a half hectares of vines up to seventy five years old planted over sandy loam of volcanic origin. Facing east at some four hundred metres above sea level, the situation lends a fresh, fragrant character to the wines. Recently, Jacopo has also begun farming a further hectare and a half of Procanico and Ansonica from old vineyards closer to Lago di Bolsena, where the volcanic soils are made up of black sand and stones.
Having worked for many years for Gianmarco and Clementine of Le Coste, Jacopo started Ajola in 2012 guided by both a respect for the way the land was tended by the contadini of old and a desire to contribute to a new community of regenerative farming in the area.
At that time the vineyards had been neglected for decades and he spent several years nurturing the plants back to life, replanting and grafting from old massale cuttings. He has worked organically from the outset, treating the vines with just a small amount of copper and sulphur and preparing various herbal teas to boost their health.
In the cantina he experiments with various vessels to gain an understanding of the best way to express the region’s grapes and landscapes. In recent times, Jacopo has gravitated towards field blends, trusting nature to find harmony. Pure, nourishing and very much alive, Jacopo’s wines make for compelling drinking.