*available to pre-order -- arrives mid-April
A 50/50 blend of Nerello Mascalese and Nero d'Avola that sees spontaneous fermentation and aging cement and stainless steel, this is Nicolò's entry-level and a brand new addition for us to his line up; we're so happy to have it! Dried florals, bright cherry, and woodsy earth, with creamy tannins and a juicy finish,
Nicolò Grippaldi is a pretty philosophical guy, both in the technical and literal senses. Having studied philosophy at university in Florence, a chance meeting with the owners of a Chianti cantina, Castello dei Rampolla in Panzano, saw Nicolò fall headlong into the world of wine, eventually returning to his homeland in the province of Enna, a relatively remote corner of central Sicily. Having had the entirety of the region’s vineyards decimated by the scourge of phylloxera throughout the tail of the 19th century, Niccolò truly found himself at square one, planting a minuscule 2.60 hectare vineyard of his own (the only vineyard in the region) in the spring of 2015 – half of it to Nero d’Avola, the remaining half to Nerello Mascalese. A certified trailblazer in the region – and not even 40 years old – Nicolò adheres strictly to biodynamic principles in his farming, crafting his own biodynamic preparations and guiding all vineyard and cellar work via the cycles of the moon. This is definitely one to watch.