LE COSTE
Vasalone 2019 [1.5 L]
Lazio, Italy
This one-off comes from Aleatico harvested from an old vineyard usually reserved for their Rosato. In 2019 they decided to destem some of the grapes and do a short maceration, before pressing off to old barrels for a year. The result is hazy, ethereal and hauntingly beautiful wine, with soaring notes of sour berries, minerals and rose. Best enjoyed quickly and in good company, though bottled only in magnum, it won’t last long.
Aleatico
ABOUT THE PRODUCER
Gianmarco Antonuzzi and Clémentine Bouveron tend around fourteen hectares of vines, around Lago di Bolsena near Gianmarco’s childhood town of Gradoli in Lazio’s north.
They worked for many years for some of France’s great vignerons and their time spent with the likes of Bruno Schueller and Dard et Ribo has been influential on their work. They moved to Gradoli in the early 2000s, seeing untapped potential and eager to apply what they had learned to the fascinating local grape varieties and unique terroir.
Their picturesque vineyards sit amongst chestnut trees, shrubs, oaks and the olive trees from which they produce their excellent olio. The soils are of volcanic origin and are rich in iron and minerals. The vines are planted at a density of up to ten thousand plants per hectare and are 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 traverse many styles. They are vinified without any additions in an ancient cellar in the village’s centre, where Gianmarco has proven to be a real master of élevage. The results are some of the purest, most delicious wines we have tried.