Italiano
Youth in charge at Conti Zecca
Twenty-four years old with an already impressive résumé and clear ideas: Clemente Zecca is personally pumping new life onto his historic estate.
Conti Zecca is one of the oldest and most important wine producers in Salento. Passion, tradition and five centuries of history (80 years of which as a winery) combine to respect and enhance the value of a land’s identity. It was in 1580 that Francesco Antonio Zecca, an agricultural entrepreneur of Neapolitan origin, moved to Leverano. In 1884, in recognition of the family’s leading role in boosting the area’s economic development, Pope Leone XII conferred the noble title on them.
Pitfalls and challenges never diminished their glory or ambition. Generational changes never resulted in discontinuity and their spirit of initiative remained intact. Today, the heredity of brothesr Alcibiade, Francesco, Luciano and Mario Zecca is in the hands of Mario’s son Clemente, a modern-day lord. He is 24 years old and after earning a degree in Economics and Marketing at Rome’s John Cabot University, he specialized in the Culture of Italian Wine at Slow Food’s University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo. He has pumped new life to his family’s estate. “There is a thin line between innovation and tradition and one must be careful not to exaggerate or overdo things – Clemente Zecca said, adding – Innovation is good when it allows wine to be a key to understanding an area. I am against using drones or horses in the field. The presence of the farmer is indispensable and modern machines can be used to make work in the vineyards easier.” According to Clemente, “Foreign tourists like Salento for its simplicity, the particular charm of its life style and way of doing things. This should not be altered by initiatives that suffocate its natural vocation. It is possible we lacked some professionalism because we were caught off-guard by our unexpected success”.
Clemente has strong ties to his origin, he knows the lay of the land like the back of his hands and each plot has a name and everything depends on the soil. Within their 320 hectares of land, he has pinpointed three crus and each zone is identified by the name of a farmhouse: Don Cola in the DOC Leverano appellation, Rifugio in Veglie and Cantalupi in the DOC Salice Salentino appellation. Production is always sustainable and with the help of agronomist Ruggero Mazzili, who worked with Angelo Gaja and Angiolino Maule, they are converting to organic farming methods. They began five years ago to revive the soil and give it new vitality. A present 60 hectares have been converted.
Clemente’s intention is to focus on the Vini del Territorio line of wines that symbolize preserving the past. Liranu, Rifugio, Mendola, Colavento and Venus are wines with strong personalities, single-grape wines made from the local varietals Primitivo, Negroamaro, Fiano, Malvasia Bianca and Moscato. Nero is the best-known among the Vini Icona line of wines, a blend of Negroamaro and Cabernet Sauvignon that first came out in 1998. It has an international style and has been re-baptized Super Puglian, an invention that recalls the supremacy of the famous Tuscan wines and to underscore the prestige of Puglia wines. The enologist is Giorgio Maroni, a pupil of Giacomo Tachis. The Vini Iconaline also includes Luna, an equal blend of Malvasia Bianco and Chardonnay. The name refers to the habit of enjoying this wine in good company. Terra is a single-grape Aglianico wine that recalls respect and adoration of Mother Earth and the commitment to not alter her delicate balances. The Primitivo wine is named Rodinò, which means red in Griko, a neo-Greek dialect spoken in the area in Salento called Grecìa. Folklore says that Rodinò was an elf wrapped in a red cape who in the middle of the night would distribute the nectar of Bacchus.
Nero 2003
95/100 – € 44
A blend of 70% Negroamaro and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon that matures for 18 months in French-oak barriques and ages six months in the bottle. The product of a hot year, the wine has an intense red-garnet color and a broad and complex aroma with fruity scents of black cherry preserved in alcohol and underbrush along with notes of spice, tobacco and leather with a finish of licorice. The wrapping mouthfeel is elegant and fresh with evolved tannins and a long persistence.
Bottles produced: 12,000.
Nero 2005
91/100 – € 40
A blend of 70% Negroamaro and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon that matures for 18 months in French-oak barriques and ages six months in the bottle. This was a more balanced year than 2003. The wine has a dark-ruby color and a bouquet of red fruit, black cherry and blackberry, vegetal and balsamic notes, coffee and vanilla. The tannins are balanced and persistent and the finish is good.
Bottles produced: 12,000.
Nero 2016
94/100 - € 23
A blend of 70% Negroamaro and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon that matures for 18 months in French-oak barriques and then 12 months in large barrels before aging six months in the bottle. A dark, garnet color and a broad aromatic profile of red fruit, carob, coffee and chocolate. The soft and warm mouthfeel has perfect tannins and a truly convincing finish with excellent persistence. A lively youth that already has great class.
On sale at Christmas.
