SICILIAN / A.MU’NIN.NI / 1. (LITERALLY) LET'S GO 2. AN EXPRESSION OF ENCOURAGEMENT,DISBELIEF, INSISTENCE, ETC.: COME ON, GO ON, LET'S GO

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SEPTEMBER
CONTAINER
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EXPLORE PRODUCERS

Davide Bentivegna knows the story of Ulysses on Mount Etna and he likes to recount it as we stroll through his alberello vines.

On the rugged coast below the volcano, Ulysses and his men once sought refuge after years at sea. Above them rose the mountain, smoking and restless, long believed to be the fiery forge of the cyclopes, where the one-eyed giants shaped thunderbolts for Zeus in chambers of molten stone.

It was there, in a cavern carved from black volcanic rock, that they encountered Polyphemus, the fiercest of them all. He led a tranquil life, herding sheep by day and drinking their milk by night, but when these strangers entered his cave, he turned violent. With a boulder rolled across the entrance, Ulysses and his crew were sealed inside, forced to watch as the giant began devouring them one by one.

Ulysses, ever cunning, chose wit over force. He poured the cyclop cup after cup of dark, intoxicating wine — a gift carried from his travels — until his single eye grew heavy and finally closed. In that silence, Ulysses and his men drove a burning stake into the monster’s brow. Responding to his cry, the other cyclopes moved the boulder to come to his help, while, clinging to the bellies of Polyphemus’ sheep, Ulysses and his crew slipped past the stone and out into the light…

Davide snaps out of the story for a moment, as Etna sputters smoke into the air. Fire and myth, he says, remind us that life on this volcano has always demanded intelligence as much as strength: to navigate its smoke-filled craters, boiling lava fields, and its legendary threats, survival required quick thinking, daring, and a sharp mind. It is a mountain that tests all who encounter it, where every triumph — whether escaping a giant or harvesting from its jagged volcanic soils — is earned through wit as much as will.

On the steep terraces that climb up the northern slope of the volcano, as high as 1000 meters above sea level, Davide wanders amidst his vines, greener and lusher than you would expect from a land this warm, like a legendary creature from another time, a rare animal hopping between his several contrade or crus. Davide’s viticulture is careful and tiresome.

Davide’s favorite part of the myth is its ending, the escape. As Ulysses and what remained of his crew reached their ships and began to row to safety, Polyphemus, realizing he had been outwitted, hurled massive boulders into the sea, sending waves crashing around the fleeing ships. Sicilians recognize these boulders in the small ‘Cyclopean Isles’ off the coast of Catania, silent monuments to Ulysses’ life-saving cunning.

la torretta
grottaferrata, lazio

LA TORRETTA IS LOCATED IN THE VALLE MARCIANA, JUST BELOW GROTTAFERRATA, FACING WEST AND OVERLOOKING THE CITY OF ROME. IT HAS BEEN IN THE HANDS OF THE MAGNO FAMILY SINCE 1864 WHEN RICCARDO’S GREAT GRANDFATHER PURCHASED THE ESTATE TO ESCAPE CITY LIFE. AT THAT TIME HE WAS PRODUCING AND PROVIDING WINE FOR SEVERAL ROMAN OSTERIAS, DELIVERING THE WINE ON HORSEBACK AND STILL IN BARREL. IN THE 1980S RICCARDO’S FATHER BEGAN SENDING ALL THE GRAPES TO THE LOCAL CANTINA SOCIALE.

TODAY THE ESTATE IS MANAGED BY RICCARDO AND HIS WIFE MARIA. THEIR 3 HECTARES SIT AT ABOUT 300M UP AND CONSIST OF MOSTLY OLDER TREBBIANO AND MALVASIA PLANTINGS WITH SOME YOUNGER ROWS OF CESANESE. THE SOIL IS VOLCANIC, COMPOSED OF THE VALLE MARCIANA TUFF, AN ANCIENT STRATIFIED GRAY TUFF FORMED FROM NUMEROUS ERUPTIONS OF WHAT TODAY IS MONTE CAVO.

LA TORRETTA’S CELLAR IS A 2ND CENTURY BC CAVE DUG BY HAND. IT STAYS THE SAME TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY LEVEL ALL YEAR ROUND WITHOUT TEMPERATURE CONTROL. IT’S A LABYRINTH OF TUNNELS AND HISTORY. THE WINES ARE TYPICALLY FERMENTED AND AGED IN ANFORA AND CHESNUT WOOD. RICCARDO’S FIRST VINTAGE WAS 2018 AND WE’RE EXCITED TO WELCOME THESE WINES BACK. THEY ARE TRULY GASTRONOMIC WINES AND WE CAN’T WAIT TO RECEIVE HIS CESANESE FOR THE FIRST TIME LATER THIS YEAR.

BOLLE VENTITRE NV (SPARKLING TREBBIANO, MALVASIA)
[ANFORA FOR 6 MONTHS, REFERMENTED IN BOTTLE]

TORRETTA 2023 (TREBBIANO, MALVASIA)
[ANFORA AND CEMENT FOR 12 MONTHS, BOTTLE FOR 3 MONTHS]

CANTINA MARCO MERLI
CASA DEL DIAVOLO, UMBRIA

CANTINA MARCO MERLI IS A SMALL FAMILY RUN WINERY IN THE VILLAGE OF CASA DEL DIAVOLO IN THE COLLI ALTOTIBERINI OUTSIDE OF PERUGIA. THE CANTINA WAS CONCEIVED BY MARCO’S FATHER ENZO IN 2003, ORIGINALLY FOCUSING ON NEARBY ABANDONED VINEYARDS. MARCO JOINED HIS FATHER IN 2006, LEAVING BEHIND LIFE AS A FASHION DESIGNER AND DEVOTING ALL HIS TIME AND ENERGY INTO UNDERSTANDING THEIR LAND AND CREATING AN IDENTITY IN THE BOTTLE.

TODAY MARCO FARMS 7 HECTARES SPREAD AMONGST VARIOUS SMALL PLOTS, EACH WITH A DISTINCT EXPOSURE AND LANDSCAPE. ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF ONE VINEYARD YOU’LL FIND LOCALS FREQUENTING A FAVORITE FISHING SPOT. QUICK DRIVE UP THE HILL AND YOU’RE AT A DIFFERENT SITE MARKED BY STEEP WINDSWEPT CHUTES. THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS HAVE TESTED MARCO’S RESOLVE - THE CONSTRUCTION OF A GIANT WIND TURBINE FORCED HIM TO LET GO OF SOME FAVORITE OLD VINEYARDS. MARCO USED THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REFOCUS, NURTURING YOUNGER VINEYARDS AND HARMONIZING WITH NATURE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. HIS UNIQUE VINEYARDS ARE OF MOSTLY CLAY AND LIMESTONE SOILS GROWING SANGIOVESE, CILIEGIOLO, MALVASIA NERA, VERMENTINO, TREBBIANO, MALVASIA DI CANDIA, GRECHETTO, & MOSCATO. THE LAND IS WILD BUT MARCO’S WINES ARE PRECISE. SAVORY, TEXTURAL, AND AROMATIC, THE FIRST ARRIVAL OF HIS NEW VINTAGE ARE AS PROMISING AS EVER.

CMM BIANCO 2024 3L (ALL THE WHITE GRAPES OF MARCO’S VINEYARDS)
[SOME DIRECT PRESS, SOME WITH A SHORT MACERATION]

CMM ROSSO 2023 3L (ALL THE RED GRAPES OF MARCO’S VINEYARDS)
[PARTIAL CARBONIC MACERATION]

000202024 BIANCO 2023 (VERMENTINO, TREBBIANO, MALVASIA DI CANDIA, GRECHETTO)
[DIRECT PRESS, STEEL FERMENTATION]

ZERODIBABO ROSATO 2024 (SANGIOVESE, CILIEGIOLO, MALVASIA NERA)
[40% SOFT PRESSING, 40% SALASSO (SAIGNEE), 20% CARBONIC]

LORENZO NEGRO
MONTEU ROERO, PIEMONTE

ROERO IS QUITE UNIQUE FROM ITS NEIGHBORS TO THE SOUTH IN BAROLO AND BARBARESCO. THE VALLEY WAS ONCE AN OCEAN. THE SOILS ARE FULL OF MARINE FOSSILS. THEY ARE LOOSE AND SANDY, ALLOWING FOR GREATER PERMEABILITY. THE LANDSCAPE IS ALSO MUCH DIFFERENT. JAGGED HILLS WITH MANY WOODLANDS AND BIODIVERSITY. THE WINES TEND TO BE FRESHER, MORE MINERAL DRIVEN, AND READY TO DRINK YOUNGER.

ROERO IS STILL A “HIDDEN GEM” IN PIEMONTE BUT THE NARRATIVE IS STARTING TO CHANGE. WINEMAKERS ARE PROUD OF THEIR LAND AND ARE EAGER TO COLLABORATE AND LEARN FROM EACH OTHER. LORENZO NEGRO HAS BEEN AT THE CENTER OF THIS RENAISSANCE. THE NEGRO FAMILY HAS BEEN MAKING WINE IN ROERO FOR OVER 100 YEARS. LORENZO’S GRANDFATHER AND GREAT UNCLES WOULD CART WINE FROM THE WINERY TO TURIN TO SELL IT IN LOCAL MARKETS. TODAY LORENZO RUNS A DYNAMIC WINERY FOCUSED ON PROMOTING THE TERROIR OF ROERO. HIS VINEYARDS AND CELLAR HAVE SERVED AS AN INCUBATOR AND SOURCE OF KNOWLEDGE FOR OTHER RESPECTED ROERO GROWERS. ALESSANDRO BOVIO (LE MORE BIANCHE) AND MANUELE PRIOLO HAVE BOTH HAD STINTS IN THE NEGRO WINERY.

SPENDING TIME IN ROERO THIS PAST WINTER WE GOT TO SEE HOW TIGHT-KNIT THE LOCAL WINEMAKING COMMUNITY TRULY IS. EVERYONE WANTS THEIR NEIGHBOR TO SUCCEED, EVERYONE WANTS ROERO TO SUCCEED. WE ARE PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO BRING IN THE FULL SCOPE OF LORENZO’S WINES:

BARBERA D’ALBA DOC 2022

BARBERA D’ALBA SUPERIORE DOC ‘LA NANDA’ 2022

LANGHE NEBBIOLO DOC 2022

ROERO ARNEIS DOCG 2023

ROERO ARNEIS DOCG METODO CLASSICO MILLESIMATO 2018

ROERO ARNEIS DOCG METODO CLASSICO MILLESIMATO RISERVA 2013

ROERO ARNEIS DOCG RISERVA ‘SANT’ANNA’ 2021

ROERO DOCG ‘PRACHIOSSO’ 2020 (NEBBIOLO)

ROERO DOCG RISERVA ‘SAN FRANCESCO’ 2018 (NEBBIOLO)

CLAUDIO PLESSI
MODENA, EMILIA-ROMAGNA

CLAUDIO PLESSI HAS BEEN AN ESSENTIAL FIGURE IN EMILIAN AND MODENESE AGRICULTURE AND WINEMAKING FOR THE PAST 50 YEARS. HE’S A PROFESSOR, RESEARCHER, POLITICAL ACTIVIST, FARMER, WINEMAKER, & MENTOR. HE WAS BORN IN 1952 IN THE SMALL TOWN CASTELNUOVO RANGONE JUST SOUTH OF MODENA. IN 1958 HIS FAMILY BEGAN FARMING INDIGENOUS VINES AND FRUIT TREES, SELLING THEIR GRAPES AND JUICE TO THE LOCAL CONSORTIUM. FOR THEIR FAMILY CONSUMPTION THEY MADE THIN WINE OF SGAVETTA. AS A SMALL CHILD CLAUDIO WAS TASKED WITH CLIMBING INTO THE VATS TO RAKE POMACE INTO BUCKETS. TOOLS WERE CLEANED WITH WINE RATHER THAN WATER TO PREVENT MOLD.

CLAUDIO’S DEDICATION LED HIM TO TEACH AND RESEARCH AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE AT THE UNIVERSITIES IN PARMA AND BOLOGNA. IN THE LATE 80S HE WAS A FOUNDING MEMBER OF IL SALTO, A CONSORTIUM FOR ORGANIC PRODUCERS. IN THE EARLY 90S HE WAS PART OF THE GRETA PROJECT AND COORDINATED COURSES ON ORGANIC FARMING AND HOMEOPATHIC AGRONOMY.

IN 2000 CLAUDIO PLANTED A LITTLE OVER 3 HECTARES OF INDIGENOUS VINES NEXT TO HIS FAMILY HOME WITH THE PURPOSE OF PRESERVATION AND DISCOVERY. THIS VINEYARD HAS BECOME A LIBRARY OF ANCIENT AND FORGOTTEN GRAPES AND HE TENDS TO IT LIKE A BOTANICAL GARDEN. HE PREFERS TO MAKE SINGLE VARIETAL BOTTLINGS, BOTH STILL AND SPARKLING, TO TRULY SHOWCASE THE DISTINCT CHARACTERISTICS OF THESE UNIQUE GRAPES.

AT HIS HOME VINEYARD YOU CAN FIND FESTASIO, SGAVETTA, LAMBRUSCONE, & GRAPELLO TO NAME A FEW. NONE MORE INTERESTING THAN TREBBIANINA KNOWN LOCALLY AS TREBBIANO DI SPAGNA. THIS RARE GRAPE IS UNCOMMON FOR WINEMAKING DUE TO ITS LOW PRODUCTIVITY. LONG SPARSE BUNCHES AND SMALL BERRIES, IT WAS HISTORICALLY USED FOR TRADITIONAL MODENESE BALSAMIC VINEGAR. CLAUDIO IS ONE OF A FEW WINEMAKERS WHO GROW AND VINIFY THIS GRAPE AND THE RESULTS ARE TRULY SINGULAR.

CAVERIOL 2021 (STILL RED WINE OF FESTASIO)

GRAPEL 2022 (SPARKLING RED WINE OF GRAPELLO)

LAMBRUSCAUN 2022 (SPARKLING RED WINE OF LAMBRUSO DEL PELLEGRINO)

SGAVATA 2021 (STILL RED WINE OF SGAVETTA)

TARBIAN 2022 (SPARKLING WHITE WINE OF TREBBIANO MODENESE)

TARBIANEIN 2020 (SPARKLING WHITE WINE OF TREBBIANO DI SPAGNA)

TIEPIDO 2021 (SPARKLING RED WINE OF LAMBRUSCO GRASPAROSSA)

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davide bentivegna,
etna’s rare animal

Only from a distance could Ulysses look back and take in the vast, smoking slopes of Etna, and comprehend the magnitude of his enterprise, nodding to one of his friends, perhaps, and understanding for the first time the extent of the dangers they had undergone.

It must feel like that sometimes for Davide. Working day after day during growing season on the active volcano, feeling its rumble beneath his steps, hearing it roar and gurgle, sometimes waking in the night to see lava exploding into the night sky and spilling down the slopes, silently hoping it will spare his terraced vines.

And yet, after all the challenges of the season, navigating the mountain’s whims, and coaxing life from the volcanic soil, it is only in the quiet of the cellar — tasting with a friend, perhaps — that he fully realizes the scale of his achievement and the extraordinary gift of crafting wine on Etna for yet another vintage, of being around to taste it yet another year.