Description
Wine Details
Biodynamic viticulture also means rediscovering traditions, abandoned in favor of more commercial non-native varieties. Alicante Nero represents Ampeleia’s way of being winemakers.
Alicante Nero is a native variety of Upper Maremma, which was removed to make space for other varieties with deeper colors and stronger bodies. It was returned to its native land in 2003, when they tenaciously started to plant Alicante vineyards, with the strong belief that this grape variety could be the most genuine and authentic expression of the Mediterranean Maremma.
It has found its natural habitat in the “La Pieve” vineyards: clay soils mixed with pebbles and conglomerates give a light, delicate and harmonious character.
Alcohol Grade: 12.5%
Aging/ Vinification: 20% whole cluster fermentation. 10 months in concrete tanks.
Best to have it: 10-14ºC
Size: 750 ml
Production: 7,000 bottles
The Winery: Ampeleia
After years of experience, Ampeleia has achieved a deeper awareness of the natural world around us and their vineyards. The character of the land emerges clearly in the wines. It is this new awareness that inspired us to conceive a third wine sourced from the youngest vineyards.
Ampeleia (from the Greek word for ‘vine’) is owned by Elisabetta Foradori and Giovani Podini. The winemaker and agronomist, Marco Tait has been with the estate since its inception in 2002. It was founded with Elisabetta’s overarching vision of allowing the true nature of an area, its diversity, its grapes, land, and culture to be expressed. The wildness of the southern Maremma, bounded by the Colle Metallifere and the sea were virgin territory, far removed from the glamour of Bolgheri and Montalcino. The estate is large and biodiverse with a total of 40 ha of vineyard interspersed with chestnut and cork oak forests as well as Mediterranean scrub. There are three parts, across differing altitudes, with differing soils and microclimates: Ampeleia di Sopra; di Mezzo and di Sotto.
