La Villana - Rosso 2022

A fleshy, juicy red wine for Lazio.

Light and chillable. Bright cherry fruit, red berries, and candy-like aromas on the nose. Its opens up on the palate, with notes of sour cherry, blood orange, and cola on the front of the palate, with subtle earthy undertones, forest floor, and touch of salinity. All held together by balanced acidity and light tannins.

NERD NOTES

80% Sangiovese (known as Greghetto here) and 20% Merlot destemmed by hand, macerated (separately) on the skins for 10 days, with gentle pump-overs, in resin tanks.

THE PRODUCER

Joy Kull is a Swiss born but Connecticut raised former sommelier and retailer. After a number of years working in the industry Joy became tired of the snobbery and pompousness of fine wine and needed a change. I know the feeling. Joy found herself moving from the states and working unpaid for Le Coste in Gradoli next to Lake Bolsena. 

After falling in love with the region Joy decided to stay and set up shop, purchasing equipment and tiny parcels of fruit. First vintage was in 2015 (kind of) and 2.5 hectares of native varieties were planted in 2017 and 2018. 

THE REGION

This estate is based on the slopes surrounding the Volcanic lake of Bolsena, about 15 minutes drive from the Tuscan border (the largest volcanic lake in Europe). A region famous for producing low quality white wine that is now seeing an influx of serious minded wine makers. Bolsena has oodles of potential for interesting wine with its volcanic soils and unique, lake influenced, micro-climate.