UVA FIERA (Proudly Graps – Fair Grapes). A fair with the dual meaning of market but also of pride for the producers who cultivate it following the natural rhythms of the countryside without subjecting it to stress. As Simone from Pecora Nera publishing house says: "The selection is linked to the closest possible interaction between important factors such as: man, grape, and territory."
This is the event we participated in in Rome, organized by the Pecora Nera publishing house and Pasquale Livieri, where around a hundred wineries from all over Italy offered their wines for tasting and sale to customers and traders at the Roman market.
We at Donna Vittori Borgo Agricolo (www.donnavittori.com) also had our own stand inside the Monk Theater near Tiburtina Station. An intriguing space born from the revitalization of the capital's industrial past. This area of eastern Rome was full of warehouses and factories with a curvy, almost sinuous architecture, typical of the days before prefabricated buildings, which transformed industrial architecture into square (and often hideous) volumes.
The Uva Fiera opportunity for us was Saula Giusti, who chose our wines, the Cesanese 'Lettera in Anfora' and the Sangiovese Clea, for her Wine Masterclass, along with other gems from Piedmont and Tuscany. Saula made an intriguing selection of 10 labels to taste and discuss, united by their specific territorial and production characteristics.
Our first Masterclass. Saula's discovery at FIVI was explosive, aided by her curiosity about our Vermouth del Borgo made from Cesanese grapes, which, however, we produce in such small quantities that we consume almost all of it ourselves. Intrigued by the vermouth, she tasted our wines and invited us to participate in the Masterclass during Uva Fiera in Rome.
Her knowledge was a breath of fresh air; she wanted to know everything about our wines and expertly guided the masterclass participants through their discovery of Cesanese and our terroir. Her refreshing yet insightful presentation captivated the room, and her questions to the producers in attendance made the meeting even more lively. I'm intrigued by her work with Romawinexperience.
The fair flew by, and we met many operators, including restaurateurs and small distributors. After all, a tourist city like Rome, which is also home to government offices and representative offices for all trade associations, needs to offer a suitable selection of wines.
Everyone confirmed their desire to expand the Lazio wine list with quality labels. Viticulture in Lazio is unique because it is very young.
Young because only a few years ago they began producing labeled bottles of wine (previously, they were sold in bulk to tourists in Rome) and because the average age of winemakers is young.
While in other regions, young age is a result of generational changes, in Lazio, young age is often the result of well-prepared young people who have created businesses and begun producing wine with their own style, free from legacies of the past. What happened to us, who followed Maria Vittori in her dream of planting vineyards in Paliano and creating Donna Vittori, in the Cesanese area, has happened to many others youngs.
I'd say viticulture in Lazio is unique, producing truly interesting wines that deserve a visit to our region. Fresh wines with a new style, often born from the revival of native grape varieties.
A blend of respect for tradition and innovation, which is also evident in the label design. Young growers almost all practice organic farming and often produce wines with spontaneous fermentations, and among these are wines with extreme aromas, but also clean and elegant wines like ours.
And to top it all off, I accepted the award Giulio Ficorella of the Salotto Retrò enoteque in Bellegra received for his wine list. And we'd add: for his role in promoting and supporting the growth of many small, new producers like us.
Giulio is also a Chef of the Slow Food Alliance and a point of reference for anyone who wants to be guided to discover the true aromas of a great territory between the Aniene Valley and the Cesanese lands. But his wine list is Internationally, and the choice guided by the winemakers' winemaking philosophy.
La Pecora Nera's Rome Guide is a journey to discover Rome (and surrounding areas), "A critical perspective on Lazio's food and wine," which takes into consideration not only restaurants and producers but also specialized shops and wine bars like Salotto Retrò. For twenty years, it has been a point of reference for the authentic (and fusion) aromas of a region that today is considered the Calimero, a swan in the Italian and international wine scene.
Long live Giulio. Long live Uva Fiera. Long live Donna Vittori Borgo Agricolo.
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