It’s not always in your father’s footsteps in poor soil and rugged terrain that you enter the weighty job of a wine producer. Sometimes, it is by request.
Generations of Loene have lived on the slopes close to the now-distinct Mt. Vulture - the ankle bone of Italy. Generations have tilled the land, grown Aglianico, lived their lives, made wine, and existed as traditional people of Basilicata. Like their neighbors, they believe in the grape that has become the Barolo of the south. Paride Leone lived a good life away from his ancestors' farming; he built a significant retail business with his brother. Though in the back of his noggin was always the story of his grandfather- it goes something like this….
On the night of Christmas, when the Son of Wine was born, a miracle was performed. It is the story of an ancestor's birth who is saved by a bath in wine. The infant in serious health was risking his life due to a respiratory crisis. In those moments of great excitement, the mother gave orders to the women caring for heating wine Aglianico. Immediately the child was immersed in a basin of hot wine, and almost miraculously, the newborn baby began to breathe; his cries were sweet sounds for the family. This episode is the beginning of our journey in the world of wine.
It began like this, high in the Apennines near the upper Basento River, east of Salerno, with a story of the grandfather, father of his mother. In her later years, she insisted that her sons, who made vibrant careers in sales, take a step back to nature and their roots to reclaim the lands of Basilicata and the grape that rules their hills and saved her father. And so it began, in 2000, that Paride Leone and his brother became wine producers, historians, keeps of the land, and sustainable pioneers of Mount Vulture.
The study of the soils of their vineyards still finds the presence of volcanic components, with the presence of tufa banks and clay areas. These soils bring great structure and elegance to the wines of TDR. Most vineyards are located at higher altitudes, typically between 400 and 600 meters, though the Pinot Nero 800 is at 800 meters. The Aglianico grape ripens late and is often one of the last non-dessert wine grapes to be harvested in Italy, picked from late October to early November. When yields are kept low, the grape will produce intensely flavored wines.
In their contemporary winery, they combine old-world approaches with current technologies to produce the most pleasing wines possible. They are one of only a handful of independent winemakers from Basilicata. Basilicata wineries, especially in the area of Mt Vulture, are being purchased by big-name wine conglomerates, and only a few are owned by the people of the territory anymore. Paride and his team are resurrecting the lands as the wine did with his grandfather.
Who:
Paride Leone
Enologist:
Riccardo Cotarella
Where:
Potenza • Basilicata - Italy
Founded: 2000
Land:
400- 800 meters above sea level
Grapes:
Aglianico, Pinot Nero, Malvasia
Appellation:
Vulture DOCG, Vulture DOC, Basilicata IGP
Viticulture:
Sustainable practicing
Training system: Espalier
Like all the Aglianico grape varieties, Aglianico del Vulture has ancient origins, and it is believed to have been introduced by the Greeks in southern Italy in the 7th or 6th century BC. A wine press from the Roman age has been found in the area of Rionero in Vulture, and a bronze coin depicting the deity of Dionysus has been found. Some of the literary references about the history of Aglianico del Vulture have been left by Horace, the Roman poet born in Venosa who celebrated the beauty of his native land and the quality of the wine.
At least one source says that after defeating the Romans in 212 BC, Hannibal sent his soldiers to Lucania to heal themselves with the wines of the Vulture.
Terra Dei Re | ‘Lera’
Basilicata IGP
GRAPES: Malvasia
SOIL: Volcanic soil; grown on the slopes of the Vulture Mountain, 400 meters a.s.l. - southeasterly
HARVEST: Hand harvested; end of September
LOOK: Deep straw yellow
NOSE: Wildflowers and pitted fruity
TASTE: Floral and fruity, soft and persistent. The minerality conferred by volcanic soil, gives richness and flavor.
Terra Dei Re | ‘Lera Rosato’
Basilicata IGP
GRAPES: Agliancio
SOIL: Volcanic soil; Rionero in Vulture, Vinyard- Calata delle Brecce. 750 meters above sea level Southeasterly
FARMING: sustainable farming. Espallie; 5000 vines per hectare
HARVEST: Hand harvested; first half of September, 7 tons per hectare
LOOK: Light pink
NOSE: The bouquet is rich, the perception of citrus notes is clear, the scents of peach flowers give it a velvety finish.
TASTE: Taste to follow nose with balanced minerality
PAIRING: Recommended pairings: seafood dishes, risotto with seafood, fish stews, baked and grilled fish, white meats, prosciutto and charcuterie.
Terra Dei Re | ‘Lera Rosso’
Basilicata IGP
GRAPES: Aglianico del Vulture and other grapes
SOIL: Volcanic soil; Mount Vulture Altitude 400 meters a.s.l. - southeasterly
FARMING: Sustainable farming. Espalier
HARVEST. Hand harvested; End of October
LOOK: Ruby red
NOSE: Fruity aroma, velvety and intense
TASTE: Taste to follow the nose with balanced minerality
PAIRING: Try with red meats, grilled
Terra Dei Re | ‘Vultur’
Aglianico DOC
GRAPES: Agliancio del Vulture
SOIL: Volcanic soil; Mount Vulture Altitude 450-700 meters a.s.l. - southeasterly
FARMING: sustainable farming. Espalier, 5,500 plants / ha
HARVEST: Hand harvested; End of October- early November, Yield 70 quintals per hectare
LOOK: Red with garnet reflections
NOSE: Fruity aroma, superior power, and richness
TASTE: This wine is oenologically developed to be at the same time soft, round, enveloping, and clear on the palate.
PAIRING: Ragu of mixed meats, lamb al Forno, roast pork ribs
Terra Dei Re | ‘Nocte’
Aglianico del Vulture DOCG
GRAPES. Agliancio del Vulture
SOIL. Volcanic soil; clay, Mount Vulture Altitude 450-700 meters a.s.l. - southeasterly, Tiberius Sub-area Carro 2 hectares total
FARMING. Sustainable farming. Guyot, density 9000 plants / ha.
HARVEST. Hand harvested at night; yield 55% Harvest period first ten days of November.
VINIFICATION: cold pre-fermentation maceration
LOOK. Red with garnet reflections
NOSE. Dried rose and violet
TASTE. An exuberant embrace of softness and intensity. Tannins of refined elegance blend with intriguing spices.
PAIRING. Braised meats, stews, ribs, roasted fillets, aged cheeses.
Terra Dei Re | ‘Vucano 800’
Basilicata IGP
GRAPES. Pinot Noir
SOIL. Volcanic soil; Rionero in Vulture. Exposure southeast at 800 m. above sea level
FARMING. Sustainable farming. Guyot, density 9000 plants / ha.
HARVEST. Hand harvested, density5,000 plants/ha Yield grapes and per hectare 70 quintals
VINIFICATION: cold pre-fermentation maceration
LOOK. Red garnet
TASTE. The wealth of elements donated by the lava flows gives the wines a unique flavor.
PAIRINGS. Braised meats, stews, ribs, roasted fillets, aged cheeses.
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