Piana dei Castelli – Vino Rosso 2016

Piano dei Castelli’s 2016 Vino Rosso is made of three different clones of Merlot, from a vineyard to the east of Velletri. The 30-year-old vines are grown on tufaceous, clayey soil and were manually harvested at the end of September. After destemming, the grapes were crushed and cold-macerated with their skins for 5 days in temperature-controlled steel tanks. Fermentation took place with indigenous yeasts, without any additions. It was then aged 24 months in cement tanks and bottled unfiltered. It is recommended to aerate this wine before consumption.

The 2016 Vino Rosso has a deep ruby colour, with a nose of dark fruit, minerals and a vegetal touch. On the palate it’s round and supple – an easy-to-drink, juicy vin gouleyant, with ripe tannins adding some structure. It pairs well with cheese and pasta dishes, as well as cured meat and olives.

About Piana dei Castelli

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.