CiròRosatoTenutaDelConte2022

Orange-pink in colour. Beautiful aromas of orange blossom, marmalade, apricot and cranberry. Follow through on the palate which is super fresh with lovely acidity and this intriguing rusticity. The finish is tannic and persistent with a long finish.

Country: Italy

Region: Cirò, Calabria

ABV: 12.5%

Grapes: Gaglioppo

Food match: Monk fish wrapped in pancetta or pork belly. Seafood soups, sausages, young cheeses, and traditional dishes from the area of Cirò such as octopus and peppers.

The Cirò DOC is a picturesque corner of the Mediterranean, along the Ionian coast, in the eastern foothills of the Calabria region, a large peninsula that forms the toe to Italy’s boot. The Parrilla family, who own and run Tenuta del Conte, have been making wine here for four generations, the latest of which to take over the estate are Mariangela, Giuseppe, and Caterina.

In 2011 Mariangela Parrilla took over as winemaker. Mariangela takes a philosophical approach to winemaking, with the aim to let these traditional indigenous grape varieties speak for themselves and their terroir. Her wines are all organic, no herbicides or chemicals are used at any stage of the production process, she opts for spontaneous fermentations using indigenous yeasts, no filtration, and solely stainless-steel and bottle aging. Taking each wine vintage by vintage she lets them evolve and age “according to their own natural rhythmâ€? making each wine unique. This could be just one year in bottle before release or over 10 years. Not only does she capture the unique character of the grape variety but that of the vintage it’s from too.

Together with a handful of other wineries in the area, Mariangela is part of “The Cirò Revolutionâ€? a group formed to promote and protect their territory’s identity. They are dedicated to organic viticulture and minimal intervention winemaking, they make traditional wines, in homage to their ancestors, from native grape varieties.