'A Vita, Ciro DOC Riserva 2017

Variety: Gaglioppo  Depending how you look at it, ‘A Vita can either be viewed as a lifetime or ‘from life.’ Either way you see it, this small winery is bringing a breath of fresh air to the most southerly region on the boot—Calabria. Dup Francesco and Laura de Franco farm in the DOC of Ciro, straddling the area between the Ionian sea and the Sila mountains. The area is known more so for its bulk wine, though ‘A Vita makes about 2000 cases in total. Their approach to farming and winemaking is minimal as they bring an overlooked region into the world spotlight.  This Riserva bottling is all about the old vines of Gaglioppo planted in 1968 and its extended aging. The maceration is an extended one as the juice spends one month on its skins. The juice then spends one year in a large Slavonian oak barrel and then ages for almost three more years in bottle before release.