An Exceptional Story
The narrative of wine in Italy is unparalleled in the world. From terraced vineyards on seemingly impossible slopes to mountain vineyards at altitudes exceeding 1,000 meters, and perhaps even small sun-kissed islands lashed by the wind. Our land is rich in stories of extreme wines, born of human toil, sweat, and hard work. These are sometimes incredible feats accomplished by resilient winemakers who have carved vineyards out of scraps of land taken from the mountains, rocks, and the sea: places where even the thought of any form of agriculture may seem mad or, at the very least, anachronistic. In an increasingly fast-paced and mechanized world, these small, great wineries have rescued ancient grape varieties from the brink of extinction and preserved an extraordinary landscape of high tourist and cultural value, where the bond between humans and nature is stronger than ever. These viticultural works shape a rural territory, often whose very existence is ensured thanks to the presence of vineyards, acting as a natural antidote to the ever more alarming risk of environmental erosion. In these cases, speaking of economic value or business becomes almost secondary. An adjective has been coined for such wines: “heroic.”
The Market
At least from a market perspective, the picture painted by Stefano Celi, president of Cervim, is very positive. This is also thanks to current consumption trends, which lean towards leaner, “straight,” and original wines. In addition, there has been a noticeable improvement in the average quality of products obtained from extreme vineyards in recent years. Celi explains, “Perhaps until a short while ago, consumers may have been apprehensive about the quality of these wines. Now, the average offering has been calibrated to very high standards, and consumers have noticed this. Furthermore, this new interest in niche viticulture has also extended to foreign markets, which may have grown a bit weary of the same wines that have been offered for decades. The focus on indigenous grape varieties, often ancient and difficult to find outside certain regions, combined with the fact that our wineries are located in highly suitable areas for viticulture, gives us an authentic and highly sustainable image. This makes us very appealing to a broad segment of consumers and increasingly discerning wine lovers. In short, I can proudly say that there is a widespread and growing interest in almost all types of heroic wines.”
Ponza, the goal of preserving a territory
Heroic viticulture is not just about mountainous regions but also about the small islands where it’s objectively challenging to mechanize many operations, and transportation can create additional difficulties. In terms of size, from Elba and below, all vineyards growing on island territories are considered heroic, regardless of altitude, slope, or terracing. Ponza is undoubtedly the most glamorous and popular of the Lazio islands: here, in the Bagno Vecchio area and on the Piano degli Scotti, the renowned Lazio winery Casale del Giglio produces a unique wine called Faro della Guardia. The grape used is Biancolella, originally from Campania but imported to the island of Ponza in the mid-18th century. Cultivation in Lazio is only permitted on the Ponza islands, and the resulting wine is, by deliberate commercial choice, sold only on the island.
The winery’s historic oenologist, Paolo Tiefenthaler, speaks: “I believe it is reductive to speak only of the vineyard and wine. To me, what truly makes it heroic is the way we interpret the territory, preserving it in terms of hydrogeology, culture, and anthropology. We have an obligation to preserve these stable and healthy territories for something beyond grape cultivation: it’s a commitment we must make to future generations.” Tiefenthaler recalls the reasons that brought him to the island along with the Santarelli family, owners of Casale del Giglio: “When we arrived in Ponza, we were approached by islanders who had very ancient vineyards that had acclimatized over the years, developing a unique capacity for self-defense against the sun. I could see in their eyes that losing these small vineyards was something profoundly painful. We found ourselves facing the problem of the slow but inexorable disintegration of the island’s soils. The maintenance of dry-stone walls plays a fundamental role in slowing down this process, allowing for proper water channeling and erosion control. However, what truly remains essential is hydrogeological study and the respect for water, especially on a ‘rock’ like Ponza, where climatic conditions can have an extreme impact.”
The Pioneer of Etna
When it comes to heroic viticulture, one cannot help but think of Mount Etna, which probably represents the territory that has best played the exclusivity card, with image and market returns in plain view. Today, Etna wines are sought after and appreciated all over the world, with demand consistently outpacing supply, driving prices and revenues upwards. However, there are many risks to consider, as emphasized by Salvo Foti of I Vigneri, an estate with its century-old vines and preservation project, considered the pioneer of the new era of Etna wines. For him, heroism is a characteristic of both the vineyard and the place it inhabits: the wine produced can be moved, but the vineyard cannot. Being heroic means knowing how to maintain and construct terraces with dry-stone walls to prevent soil erosion from increasingly violent rains, even out of season.
For Foti, there is only one way to practice heroic viticulture: live the territory and defend it. “In some cases, up to 1,500 hours of work per hectare may be required. The cost of grapes depends 70% on labor, on the manual work it demands: you have to find people who can do this work, provide them with professionalism, and pay them well because it’s not a job for everyone. Heroic viticulture is closely linked to the presence of humans in that place. To practice it, you have to live there, be willing to wait for a long time, and you can’t go to the vineyard occasionally but must spend at least 200 days a year there.”
Amalfi Coast, Beautiful and Impossible
Another well-known name among wine enthusiasts is that of Cantine Marisa Cuomo. Andrea Ferraioli, supported by his wife to whom the estate is dedicated and by the renowned winemaker Luigi Moio, has been producing wines with a unique and extraordinary flavor for years. These wines draw all their strength and character from an extreme territory. It was, above all, a conservation project to recover historic grape varieties and ancient trellising systems that have been preserved from abandonment. The Amalfi Coast is beautiful and impossible: it’s all vineyards right out of a postcard, where the horizontal distance from the sea is often shorter than the altitude, given the steep slopes. However, at times, calling this territory extreme might even be an understatement.
Liguria, a Slow and Careful Viticulture
Here, too, we find vineyards cultivated on steep cliffs that descend sharply towards the sea, carved into tiny terraces contained by dry stone walls and often lacking access roads. Every operation can only be carried out by hand, with grapes transported either on shoulders or, for the more “technological” ones, by means of a small train that climbs up often impossible slopes. Eliana Maffone, of the Tenuta Maffone estate, founded in 2009 together with her husband Bruno, after a lifestyle change that led them to embrace a long family heritage. The vineyards are located between 500 and 700 meters in altitude, in a more alpine than agricultural setting (it’s not uncommon to encounter wild boars and deer), which was defined by Mario Soldati as the “optimum for the quality of grapes and wine.” The family’s own vineyards are over sixty years old, and the choice is to maintain and cultivate them in a traditional manner, without using herbicides and chemical fertilizers. “In Liguria, there is little land for agriculture,” Eliana explains. “We have the sea in front of us and mountains behind us: the widest strip of land might be 35 km. We are in a middle ground, where in twenty minutes, you can go skiing, and in another twenty, you can go for a swim. In all respects, we have mountain viticulture: we have historic vineyards, very old, even pre-phylloxera, with vines of 120-130 years, of which we still haven’t fully understood the origins. The grape variety that sets us apart the most is Ormeasco, a native variety cultivated in a small area in Imperia. In essence, it’s a Dolcetto, but with very different characteristics: it has great longevity, high acidity, and intense aromas.”
In Conclusion
From Trentino-Alto Adige to Sardinia, from Valle d’Aosta to the slopes of Mount Etna, from Valtellina to the Amalfi Coast, passing through the Cinque Terre, the Apennine mountains, and the Tyrrhenian islands, Italy boasts a thousand stories of vineyards and extraordinary individuals. While it is well-established that wine, vines, and wine-producing territories, along with all the practices and traditions underlying viticultural activities, are cultural heritage to be protected and valued, all the more reason to protect and support these heroic and historic vineyards. These small patches of cultivated land often characterize areas at risk of hydrogeological instability, or disadvantaged agricultural zones where orographic conditions or unique cultivation methods create impediments to mechanization. However, it is from these places that rare, unique, historically rich, and evocative wines can emerge—products that possess the gift of authenticity and originality, qualities highly appreciated in a market that is becoming less niche and more demanding. They must be safeguarded and supported, not only to develop the economic performance of the wine-producing territories involved (both as a means of commercializing the product and, even more so, as a positive return in terms of image and tourist attractiveness), but also for the cultural, social, and environmental value they embody.
Photos from Internet
