Piana dei Castelli’s 2011 Sauvignon 27.07 is made of 100% Sauvignon Blanc, from a vineyard to the south of Velletri. The vines are grown on siliceous clay and were harvested early and manually on July 27th. After destemming, the grapes were crushed and cold-macerated with their skins for 96 hours in stainless steel tanks. Fermentation took place with indigenous yeasts, without any additions. It was then aged 8 years in cement tanks on its lees and bottled unfiltered.

Located in the comune of Velletri, southeast of Rome in Lazio’s Alban Hills, Matteo Ceracchi and Nicoletta De Angelis run Piana dei Castelli. The couple farm a mosaic of vineyards, spread over eleven different municipalities, at various altitudes and with varying soil types – although mostly volcanic, rich in basalt and tuff. Although Ceracchi is a classically trained oenologist, they work decidedly natural – eschewing synthetic chemicals in their biodynamically farmed vineyards and excess intervention in the cellar. It leads to adventurous, unpredictable wines that express character and a clear sense of place.