Aglianico del Vulture "Siir" 2021 - San Martino

100% Aglianico from the youngest vines of the domain with the shortest maceration period of all cuvées. Lorenzo calls this soft red SIIR the introduction to the Aglianico del Vulture. SIIR also means 'father' or 'owner' in the local dialect.

Simply to enjoy without having to have a big and hearty meat meal attached to it. The wine is soft and very digestible with ripe cherries, a surprising minerality and something peppery. The south of Italy is known for its heavy, thick wines, high in alcohol. San Martino is the exception to the rule. In Vulture, he knows how to create deep, structured wines that nevertheless manage to encompass the finesse and elegance of the cooler climate and landscape.

Country / Region: Italy / Basilicata
Grape variety: 100% Aglianico
In the vineyard: Orchards located at 500-600 meters altitude. Volcanic soil consisting of a mix of lava, ash, sandstone and river deposits. Orchards between 20 and 40 years old. 1.5 hectares more than 80 years old. Late harvest mid-October. Organic farming with minimal intervention.
In the wine cellar: Lorenzo works completely initiatively with as little intervention as possible. Only a short maceration period, a few times pigéage for as little extraction as possible, as little addition of So2 as possible and only one time soutirage. 12 months maturation in French and American oak barrels. Unfiltered.
Quality mark: Organic and vin nature

The love for winemaking is in Lorenzo's blood. His parents, former sheep farmers, made the switch to winemaking after the birth of their children. The small estate in Montepulciano had two hectares of Sangiovese orchards. In 1990 the first vintage was a fact and the domain quickly became one of the most famous in Tuscany. The prestige and competition among the Montepulcianos also grew enormously in a short time with the arrival of large, commercial wineries, which is why the family decided to sell the estate. Lorenzo's father, Fabrizio, had long been fascinated by the Aglianico grape and the charm of the rugged landscape of Basilicata. He bought a piece of land there, where he only grows 100% Aglianico. While Lorenzo and the rest of the family remained in Tuscany, Fabrizio traveled back and forth between his orchards and his family. In 2004 the first vintage under the house of Grifalco was there.

Lorenzo was also captivated by the beauty and charm of Vulture. After studying oenology and viticulture in Turin and years of experience in Fabrizio's vineyards, he decided to start his own business. He rented 6 hectares of 100% Aglianico vineyards in Venture (now purchased) and, like his father, divides his time between the vineyards, his family in Turin and the 12-hour night bus.

Thanks to the special geological and climatic characteristics of the area, he can afford to leave the vines alone for a while and to work completely organically. The Venture is a fairly cool and dry area and is located at an altitude of 500 to 600 meters, which means that the dry wind from the Tyrrhenian Sea blows constantly through the orchards and avoids potential diseases. The cuvées of San Martino all three know how to show the character of the area, vinatage and grape in their own unique way and give a new face to very southern, Italian wines.