Two Tuscans fell for the wild, volcanic south of Italy and bet everything on a single grape: Aglianico del Vulture, grown on the slopes of an extinct volcano in Basilicata.
Backstory
Fabrizio Piccin and Cecilia Naldoni, from Montepulciano in Tuscany, fell in love with Lucania (the old name for Basilicata) in 1993 and founded Grifalco in 2004 after more than twenty years making wine in Tuscany. The name unites the griffin of Montepulciano with the falcon of Monte Vulture, joining their origins and their adopted home. Their sons now lead the estate: Lorenzo, who trained in viticulture and oenology in Alba, oversees the vines and the cellar, while Andrea runs the commercial side.
Vineyards and Farming
Grifalco farms about 16 hectares of certified organic vineyards on the volcanic slopes of Monte Vulture, between roughly 450 and 580 meters of elevation, spread across the municipalities of Maschito, Forenza, Ginestra, and Venosa. Vine age ranges from around ten years up to 80. Soils shift parcel by parcel: the Damaschito site is sandy with iron and manganese, while Daginestra mixes volcanic ash with limestone and clay.
Winemaking
The estate focuses entirely on Aglianico, aging the wines in stainless steel and a mix of Slavonian, French, and American oak. Around 70,000 bottles are produced each year across the range.
The Wines
There are four wines: Gricos as the entry point, Grifalco as the flagship, and two crus, Damaschito and Daginestra, each a different expression of a single variety and site.
