A new wine from Claudio and Camilla Plessi has been recently added to our list.
Born in 1952 in Castelnuovo Rangone, just a few kilometers south of Modena, Claudio's journey into agriculture began in 1958 when his family started farming fruit trees and vines. With an unwavering commitment to sustainable and respectful agricultural practices, he embraced organic methods in 1986.
As a professor of agricultural science, during extensive research in the Modena hills Claudio rediscovered almost forgotten grape varieties, transforming his vineyard into a library of indigenous grapes on the brink of extinction. Located on the east bank of the river Tiepido, his three hectares of vines grow on alluvial soils rich in limestone and sand.
We visited Claudio and his wife Camilla last March and tasted new and old wines accompanied by Camilla's delicious crescentine and a superb coniglio alla cacciatora modenese. A gorgeous sparkling red from the 2022 vintage was the highlight of the day, and we are really excited to finally share it with you.
The Grapel 2022 is produced with the local Grappello, a red variety belonging to the Lambrusco family, that has been grown in this area for centuries. The grapes are destemmed and fermented for three days on the skins in steel tanks. After the second fermentation, the wine spent two years in bottle before release.
The result is a bright rosso frizzante with a gentle perlage and little tannins. It offers notes of wild strawberries, bitter herbs, and a hint of spice, followed by vibrant, refreshing minerals.
