Cerreto Blanc 2020

Cerreto Blanc 2020, La Vinicola di Antonio Gismondi

Cerreto is a lively and fresh wine with a pale yellow color and an acidic, lemony nose with hints of white flowers. The nose is fruity (lemon zest), as is the palate: the citrus fruits linger, the minerality asserts itself. A good companion for seafood, shellfish, and raw fish. Cerreto is made from Malvasia di Candia vines, a grape variety also known as Uva di Cerreto. This name specifically covers a very old local grape variety that is even said to be indigenous and is actually a clone of Malvasia di Candia. The vines grow on clayey plots facing southwest. Skin maceration lasts four to five days in stainless steel vats, followed by pressing and aging for six to ten months in stainless steel vats. No added sulfites, no filtration.

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Antonio Gismondi's azienda is located in Cerreto Sanita, in the Benevento region of Campania. A microclimate gives this area an almost continental feel: humid winds from the Tyrrhenian Sea collide with the first ramparts of the Apennine mountain range, causing condensation in the air and lowering temperatures, which are significantly cooler and more humid than on the coast. If we add a thermal inversion phenomenon between day and night, common in the Apennine climate, the freshness of the wines from the Antonio Gismondi estate is nothing mysterious in this southern Italy, which is known for its very hot climate. The estate is family-run: for generations, the Gismondi family has cultivated vines and made wine using the most traditional and natural methods, to which are added biodynamic techniques. For a long time, of the fifteen tons of grapes produced each year, one ton was reserved for on-site winemaking for family consumption, with the rest going to the local wine cooperative. It was a meeting with Massimo Marchiori and Antonella de Partida Creus that led Antonio and his wife Anabel to start producing natural wines at home from the entire harvest. The two-hectare vineyard is located between 350 and 380 meters above sea level, on clay and stony soils, with two-thirds facing due south. The grape varieties are Merlot, Freisa, and Sangiovese for the reds, and Falanghina and Malvasia di Candia for the whites.