“I Cacciagalli” since 2012 with terracotta wine jars made by Artenova: their production, of 5 single-variety wines
2015/04/23 amphorae wine / biodynamic methods / il gambero rosso / neutral container / terracotta and wine / terracotta jars / vineyards / wine
I Cacciagalli are young wine producers from Casertano. They have been producing wine in terracotta at the foot of the beautiful volcano of Roccamonfina since 2012 using wine jars made by Artenova.
Agronomist Diana Iannaccone and her husband Mario Basco (in the photos during the event “Terracotta and Wine 2014”) a passionate wine connoisseur are the owners of the estate and together they share a common love for the territory and for its wine. They found out about Artenova three years ago from conversations with other wine producers.
After learning that certain producers had started to make wine using terracotta jars from a workshop in Impruneta, Tuscany, and after visiting some of the vineyards, I Cacciagalli decided to embrace the binomial “terracotta and wine” and follow the new tendency. Today I Cacciagalli make five out of seven of their wines in amphora. The Artenova amphorae used by I Cacciagalli, number 22: twenty 800 litre jars and two 450 litre jars.
“Aglianico” grapes were already being cultivated on the estate using biodynamic methods, so the choice of the amphora came from a desire to find a more neutral container compared to wood or steel. The first trial was in Jars using “Piedirosso” grapes, which are rather delicate and need a longer maceration and limited racking.
Currently the amphora wines on the market made by “I Cacciagalli” are: Phos 2013 Aglianico 100%; Sphaeranera 2013 Pallagrello Nero 100%; Lucno, Piedirosso; Leneo, Falanghina 100%; Zagreo 2013 Fiano 100%. This wine was listed as wine of the month in the latest issue of the magazine “Il Gambero Rosso“, to the great satisfaction of I Cacciagalli (and also for us at Artenova): “this wine matured in amphorae …… proved to be one of the best new entries in our regional tests “.
