Italiano
Felix wine
‘Terra di Lavoro’ (Land of Labor) denotes a fertile area of ancient Campania, also called Liburia, which extends along the Apennine mountain chain between Monti Aurunci and the northern part of Campi Flegrei. It is also known as Campania Felix with felix a reference to the fertility and opulence of the land. Evidence that it deserves this name is the unquestioned success many estates in this area have had.
Among these is the winery Fontana Galardi that produces a single wine: Terra di Lavoro. The wine met with critical success from its first vintage, 1994 even if a ’93 wine was made but never marketed, and it has become the driving force for the whole area’s winemaking sector.
The winery was set up in 1991 in Roccamonfina, on the western side of the dead volcano of the same name. It came to life thanks to the passion for the land of Maria Luisa Murena and her husband Roberto Selvaggi, as well as that of Dora and Arturo Celentano and Francesco Catello. After a few years, even Riccardo Cotarella came onboard as enologist.
Over the past 20 years, the growing success and critical acclaim for Terra del Lavoro have made it one of the world’s greatest wines to the extent that in 2014 it entered the galaxy of the VintHedge Italia Wine Growth Fund, which buys and sells the best Italian wines. This international fund has its headquarters in Luxembourg and a cellar-vault to conserve its wines in Switzerland. Here two memorable vintages of Terra del Lavoro are kept: 2011 and 2012
This outstanding red is made from Piedirosso and Aglianico grapes organically grown in a sandy soil at an altitude of 400m above sea level on the coast overlooking the Bay of Gaeta. There are a total of 10 hectares of vineyards some of which have been restored while others have been planted new.
After harvesting, the grapes ferment in stainless steel vats and remain on the skins for some 15 days. They continue to ferment a further 20 days with manual cap immersion that takes place several times a day. Malolactic fermentation also takes place in stainless steel before the wine ages in new Allier and Never barriques for around a year. The wine then ages a further eight months in the bottle.
The vintages sampled here are each different from each other and it is difficult to determine which is ‘better’, especially since all are close to perfection. What stands out and unites them is their great personality.
Terra di Lavoro is authentic proof of how the region of Campania, be it ancient or modern, can truly be ‘felix’.
