Tenuta di Fiorano 2020 IGT Lazio Rosso ‘Fioranello’ Lazio

Otherworld Cabernet from an estate with a fascinating history. This is a polished red with gorgeous black and red fruit that slowly unfurls over the coast of an evening. Fans of balanced Cabernet wines with integrated fruit will absolutely love this wine. The Fiorano estate is a local legend not only for Lazio wine but for all Italian wine. Story goes, when Prince Alberico Boncompagni Ludovisi purchased the estate in the 1930’s, he set his sights on growing Semillon, Cabernet and Merlot without the use of any synthetic sprays or modern assists. Among the pioneers of organic viticulture, Alberico tended to his vines like a garden. In the cellar, his finished bottles became almost entombed by a white mold he believed helped to age wines gracefully. A reclusive man by nature, Alberico let few in to see his operation and fewer were allowed to purchase, often left standing at the front door in frustration. When he became too old to farm, he ripped up all his prized old vines save for a few rows of Cab and Merlot. The remaining 14k bottles were guarded until he impulsively sold the entire lot to a Luigi Varonelli, entrusting him to distribute honorably. Today, his son runs the estate, with the DNA of his father’s legacy.

• WINEMAKER: Alessandro Boncompagni Ludovisi
• VARIETAL: Cabernet Sauvignon
• APPELLATION: Colli Albani, Roma
• REGION: Lazio
• VINEYARD: organic
• WINERY: no information available other than maturing in oak for a year
• ABV: 13.5%
• SERVE: Stand open for 30m before serving