2024 Vigneti Vumbaca, Cirò Bianco DOC, Calabria, Italy.
The lovely fresh, crisply bone dry and mineral driven Cirò Bianco by Vigneti Vumbaca is sourced from 100% Greco Bianco grapes coming from organic vines on clayey and sandy soils in the Piana di Franze Vineyard located in the historic wine region of Cirò Marina, and made to be enjoyed now in its vivid youthful prime. The clean and steely medium bodied palate is zesty with tangerine, peach, lemon/lime and kiwi fruits, along with a nice lip smacking saline element, tangy herb and wet stones. This fine white from Italy’s Calabria area has a bright yellowish hue and subtle textual mouth feel, but with loads of acidity keeps everything excellently balanced. I discovered Vigneti Vumbaca this year at the Slow Wine tour stop in San Francisco and their whole lineup was super impressive, especially the Rosé or Rosato, along with the reds, made from Gaglioppo, one of the oldest varietals in Italy. The fermentation of the Greco Bianco grapes takes place in cool temperature controlled temperature vat with just a soft pressing and no maceration. The aging takes place in the stainless steel tank for about 5 months, and there’s some batonnage of the fine lees, after which it ages a month in bottle before release. I am hoping Vigneti Vumbaca finds an American importer and that the wines will soon be available, as they are some of the most delicious and interesting that I’ve ever tried from the Calabria region.
Vigneti Vumbaca, founded in 1984, is run by Christian Vumbaca, who left the bright lights, hustle and bustle of Rome to take over his mother and uncle’s remote estate in Cirò, with his Gaglioppo bush trained vines grown on clayey-limestone soils and south-facing slopes. It is said that Cirò is one of Italy’s oldest named wine regions with a winemaking history stretching back thousands of years, to the Greek era here, it has a full DOC for the Red, white and Rosé (Rosato) and now the new Cirò Classico DOCG for Gaglioppo. The Gaglioppo grape, which was resurrected in recent years from obscurity is having a moment in the spotlight and is again one of the Southern Italian stars, making a stylish coastal red wine that be elegant, lively and in some ways more Pinot Noir like in body and with a gracefulness, though completely purely Italian and slightly rustic with some tannic grip too. In the Cirò region of Calabria, Red wine makes up the vast majority of production. With the DOC for Rosé, a Cirò Rosso bottling must feature a minimum of 80 percent Gaglioppo, but can be mixed with other authorized red grapes. the Rosato and Red wines tended to have a few white grapes blended in, but since the rules came into being that is not the case anymore. The Cirò DOC whites, as seen in this Cirò Bianco are made from the noted Greco Bianco, a distinct variety and not to be confused with the Campania-based Greco di Tufo, which is a different clone, though thought to be related and brought to the area by ancient Geek settlers.
($25 Est.) 92 Points, grapelive