Vittorio Graziano

Vittorio Graziano hadn`t touched a drop of alcohol before falling for the charms of a local girl when he was 18, who also introduced him to the joy of wine. This led to a four day hangover but also imbued in him a love of things vinous. He worked a miserable existence as a clerk, pen-pushing and living entirely indoors. When he was reminded how many years he had to wait for pension and release he immediately rebelled and went to become a winegrower. The family plot was a not very massive half hectare of old vines so he set about increasing the area under his control. He has about a dozen different varieties, most of them unidentified and his main vines are Grasparossa, Malbo Gentile and Trebbiano. Plant density is fairly high and viticulture is entirely organic but uncertified - no more form-filling for Vittorio! Extremely unusually the frizzante wines are bottle rather than tank fermented, the latter depriving the wine of its real character. This is the acceptable face of natural winemaking and these are all wines of enormous and joyful character. (CW 23/07/19)