Librandi | Calabria

Three generations, four tenuta, over 260 hectares and a garden of 200 rediscovered autochthonous grape varieties – librandi is the most important wine address in Calabria. The Segna line is their fingerprint in the most honest way: 100% Greco Bianco from the chalky-clay soils of Cirò, Cirò Marina and Crucoli, harvested in the last decade of September, gently pressed, fermented and matured in steel.

Cirò is one of Italy's oldest wine-growing regions. Even the Greeks, who settled on the Calabrian coast in ancient times, called this place Krimisa and honoured the victors of the Olympic Games with its wine. Today, Cirò is Calabria's most important DOC – and Gaglioppo is its very soul. Librandi, which has had its roots in Cirò Marina since 1950, produces a Gaglioppo rosé here. Alberello and cordon training, on clay-limestone soil, harvested from the last week of September to the first week of October. Saignée with a short maceration period, aged in stainless steel, followed by a few months in bottle. The winery itself sums it up in a single sentence: "Vibrant like the waves of the sea." That's spot on.

Gaglioppo is the red soul of Calabria – and Cirò its homeland. A grape variety of ancient origin, difficult to tame, with a directness that knows no detours. Librandi has built its house on this variety: not out of nostalgia, but out of the conviction that a terroir between the Ionian Sea and the hills of Crotone has what it takes to produce something unmistakable. 100% Gaglioppo, Cordone speronato, calcareous soils, 3 to 5 days of maceration and subsequent ageing in steel, then some bottle ageing.

Classic rosato with character: Terre Lontane is made from Gaglioppo and Cabernet Sauvignon – an unusual but extremely successful combination that creates depth and tension. The vines grow on chalky and clayey soils near the Ionian coast, whose proximity to the sea favours ripeness while retaining freshness. Brilliant raspberry pink with salmon-coloured shimmer. The bouquet is inviting and fragrant, with notes of redcurrants, pink grapefruit, wild roses and a hint of Mediterranean herbs. Lively, dry and precise on the palate, with a delicate tannic grip, good juiciness and a fine fruity finish.

Critone is one of the best-known white wine cuvées in southern Italy and combines the elegance of Chardonnay with the aromatic freshness of Sauvignon Blanc. The grapes come from well-ventilated vineyards around Cirò Marina, on calcareous flysch soils with a clay subsoil – ideal conditions for clarity and structure. The colour in the glass is pale straw yellow with a greenish tinge. The nose reveals green apple skin, citrus, some peach and fine vegetal notes. The palate is dry, clear and lively, with crisp acidity and a fine mineral vein. Maturation in stainless steel tanks emphasises the fresh, fruity character. SUPERIORE.DE

A bestseller and classic with a reputation: "Duca Sanfelice" is a flagship for the indigenous Gaglioppo grape variety and demonstrates the expressive wines that can be produced from the sun-kissed hills around Cirò. The Riserva comes from old vines on clayey and calcareous soils, vinified in steel tanks and then matured in stainless steel for 24 months. Deep ruby red in colour. Dark cherry, dried plums, herbs, some liquorice and a hint of tobacco on the nose – spicy and Mediterranean flavours. Dry on the palate, with ripe fruit, pithy tannins and balanced acidity. The finish is long, powerful and carried by earthy warmth and fine spice.

Calabria showed its sunniest side in the warm, dry year of 2023. The single-varietal Magliocco from the "Megonio" vineyard benefited from this constellation with deeply ripe grapes, concentrated fruit and healthy berry skins. The vinification process was classic: temperature-controlled mash fermentation, followed by ageing in barriques for around a year – enough to create structure without masking the authenticity of the variety.

Efeso is probably the most elegant white wine produced by Librandi – a single-varietal Mantonico, an old Calabrian grape variety with a long history and great potential. The grapes come from high-altitude, well-ventilated vineyards around Strongoli, where the warmth of the south meets the freshness of the night and ripening is slow and controlled. The wine is matured in barriques with regular bâtonnage – a deliberately Burgundian approach for an indigenous wine.

Gravello is Librandi's great classic red – and has been a pioneering wine for the region since the 1980s. This blend of Gaglioppo and Cabernet Sauvignon is regarded as a symbol of modern Calabria: powerful, structured and of international calibre, whilst remaining true to its origins. It is aged for twelve months in French barriques, lending the wine depth and elegance. Gravello embodies the new Calabrian identity: rooted in tradition, ambitious and with a clear commitment to quality. A wine for connoisseurs – and one of the region’s finest reds.