Description
Wine Details – Tenuta del Cannavale Insula Maior Biancolella
These grapes come from a tiny, sun-drenched plot sitting 300 meters above the sea on rich volcanic ground. The soil is a unique mix of sand on the surface and deep clay below, which gives the vines a great foundation to grow. Everything here is done carefully by hand with a deep respect for nature; the family uses biodynamic practices and organic fertilizers to keep the land healthy, sticking to a certified organic approach that avoids harsh chemicals in favor of traditional, gentle methods.
Vinification: Manual harvest; Spontaneous fermentation with the grapes’ own yeasts, 100% fermentation in amphora (QVEVRI) with long maceration on the skins for 5 months. Aging in qvevri amphora.
Alcohol Grade: 11%
Production: 1,700 bottles!
Size:Â 750 ml
The Producer: Tenuta del Cannavale
Tenuta del Cannavale is tucked away on the beautiful island of Ischia, high up on the volcanic slopes of Mount Epomeo. It’s a family-run farm that feels much more like a hidden garden than a typical commercial winery. Because the vineyards are perched about 400 meters above sea level, they get plenty of sunshine but stay refreshed by the constant sea breezes. The Mattera family treats the entire estate as one big, diverse ecosystem, so you’ll see grapevines growing right alongside fruit trees, vegetable patches, and wild Mediterranean herbs.
Their farming is as hands-on as it gets, using organic and biodynamic practices to keep the soil healthy and productive. Since the hillsides are so steep, they avoid using heavy tractors and instead rely on their resident donkeys and horses to help maintain the land. In the cellar, they stick to a very simple, low-intervention approach, letting the local grapes and the island’s volcanic earth do the talking. It’s a very quiet, respectful way of making wine that honors the rugged, natural history of Ischia.
