Galardi

The small Campanian municipality of Sessa Aurunca is considered the "gateway to the south" due to its proximity to Lazio, which leads us into the beautiful landscape of the extinct Roccamonfina volcano. The vineyards here thrive on the rocky soils marked by volcanic ash, into which the roots must laboriously bore. Although this area has never really been known for the production of high-quality wines, the Galardi winery has managed to get the entire wine world excited about the potential of this unique terroir in one fell swoop.

A great passion for ancient Campanian grape varieties brought three cousins and their wives - Maria Luisa Murena and Roberto Selvaggi, Dora and Arturo Celentano and Francesco Catello - together in 1991 to produce the best wine in the region. To support them, they engaged none other than the famous Riccardo Cotarella, who is one of the most important oenologists in Italy and has a special affinity for southern Italian grape varieties.

Together they decided to make only one wine: Terra di Lavoro - and with perfection. The result was a red blend of 80% Aglianico and 20% Piedirosso grapes. Two important grape varieties of the region, which harmonise in a fascinating way when blended, because the Aglianico contributes the power and expressive structure, whereas the Piedirosso provides the aroma of red fruits and a noticeably fresh acidity.

Amidst ancient chestnut forests, these vines grow in the single vineyard San Carlo di Sessa Aurunca at 450 metres above sea level, where the light breeze from the Mediterranean ensures the health of the grapes. With the right pruning in winter, yields are reduced to a minimum so that in summer really only the best, fully ripe grapes can be harvested. The 20-day fermentation with skin contact is followed by acid reduction in the form of malolactic fermentation in stainless steel tanks, which gives the wine its accessibility.

The production process is rounded off by a twelve-month ageing period in new barriques, which gives the red wine, which is highly praised every year, an exceptional storage potential of up to 30 years. Accordingly, the different vintages have multi-layered aromatic profiles of delicate floral notes, black cherries, cassis, graphite and tar nuances that promise us varied taste experiences.

The label of Terra di Lavoro shows a historical map from 1700 depicting the territory of the northern province of Campania at the time of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and, together with the name of the wine (Ital. Land of Labour), recalls the history of this region. The Kingdom of Sicily Beyond (Regno di Sicilia ulteriore) comprised the island of Sicily with its capital Palermo, while the Kingdom of Sicily on this side (Regno di Sicilia citeriore) comprised the southern Italian mainland with its capital Naples, the mainland Sicily also being referred to as the Kingdom of Naples for ease of distinction.

Despite the efforts of the star oenologist Cotarella, the success of the Galardi winery is based solely on the "storytelling" abilities of the wine, which testify to the quality of the grapes, the characteristics of the soil and the climatic conditions of each vintage. SUPERIORE.DE