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Agnanum

Falanghina Sabbia 2018

Price: $22.95
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Tasting notes

This is one of the most terroir-transparent whites coming out of southern Italy: the volcanic sand and pumice translate directly into a pronounced saline minerality and a faint sulphurous edge that you can actually taste in the glass. The co-fermented field blend of ancient indigenous varieties adds aromatic complexity that straight varietal Falanghina rarely achieves.

BodyFruitTanninAcidity
LemonWhite PeachSaltFlint
  • Style: Dry, medium-bodied white; straw yellow; saline and mineral with citrus and floral notes; 12% ABV
  • Grapes & Terroir: 85% Falanghina + 15% field blend (Catalanesca, Moscato, Gelsomina, Caprettone, Biancolella); organic; volcanic ash, sand, pumice, and basalt soils; ungrafted vines; Campi Flegrei crater, Agnano
  • Winemaking: Native yeast fermentation in stainless steel; full malolactic fermentation; aged several months in stainless; coarse filtration; unfined; 10ppm SO2 at fermentation, none at bottling
  • Serving: Serve at 48-52F; no decant needed; drink within 3-4 years of vintage
  • Pairing: Raw clams, oysters, grilled branzino, seafood risotto, fried calamari, fresh chèvre
  • Similar To: For fans of mineral-driven Muscadet or Etna Bianco who want to explore volcanic Campanian whites

Agnanum's Sabbia Vulcanica comes from four hectares of steep, terraced vineyards inside the crater of Agnano, within the Campi Flegrei supervolcano just west of Naples. The name means volcanic sand, and the soils here are exactly that: four distinct layers of volcanic material, from fine white sand at the surface down through pumice and pillus, dark volcanic sand, and coarse basalt. Because sandy volcanic soils repel phylloxera, the vines grow on their own ungrafted rootstocks, ranging from 10 to 60 years old, with some co-planted field varieties reaching up to 200 years. Every terrace is worked entirely by hand with a hoe; rain regularly washes the sandy ground away and must be rebuilt manually.

The blend is 85% Falanghina with the remaining 15% made up of indigenous co-planted varieties: Catalanesca, Moscato, Gelsomina, Caprettone, and Biancolella. Raffaele Moccia farms without chemical treatments, keeps yields extremely low, and harvests late. Vinification follows a traditional, minimal-intervention approach: spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel, complete malolactic fermentation in the same vessels, several months of aging in stainless, then coarse filtration at bottling. Sulfur additions are limited to 10ppm at the start of fermentation and none at bottling.

The wine is bottled as Campania IGT. On the nose it shows floral and citrus character with Mediterranean herbs. The palate is fresh and medium-bodied, defined by a pronounced saline quality and mineral tension that reads almost of volcanic sulphur, a direct expression of the ash and pumice underfoot. Acidity is bright, the finish persistent and slightly bitter in the best Campanian tradition.

Excellent with raw or lightly dressed shellfish, particularly clams, oysters, and sea urchin, where the wine's salinity amplifies the brininess of the seafood. Works well with fried fish, seafood risotto, and simply prepared grilled branzino. The wine's slight bitter finish also makes it a natural match for dishes with fresh herbs or lemon.

Wine details

Dry/Sweet:, Dry
Wine Type:, White Wine
Wine Style:, Medium Body
Grapes:, Falanghina, Catalanesca, Moscato, Gelsomina, Caprettone, Biancolella
Farming:, Organic
Vintage:, 2018
Alcohol:, 12%
Country:, Italy
Region:, Campania
Appellation:, Campania IGT
Bottle Size:, 750ml
Sugar Level:, Zero Added Sugar

We will process and ship your order in 2-3 business days, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking as soon as the Carrier scans the shipping label.

Ground shipping time depends on location, here's a breakdown:

West Coast: 1-2 business days
Midwest: 3-4 business days
East Coast: 5 business days

Process time is not shipping time. Shipping time starts from the days successive to the day of shipping, after the order has been processed.

See here our shipping policy.


Important Compliance Requirements

FedEx and other carriers we might occasionally use can only deliver wine to customers who are 21 years or older. Someone must be at the address to receive the package, carriers don't just drop a package and leave. They must ensure the person receiving the wine is 21 or older.


Re-shipping a Package

If a package is returned to us after three failed delivery attempts, we can only re-ship the wine upon payment of a re-shipping fee, to be determined based on the shipping address and number of bottles. Shipping wine is extremely expensive. We are sorry about this, but we have no other choice. Please make sure there's always someone at the address you enter as your shipping address.

If you'd like to receive a refund for a package that was returned to us after FedEx made three delivery attempts, we can do that but we must keep a $20 refund fee; FedEx charges us a lot of money for returns, unfortunately, I can't stress this enough.


Re-routing a Package

If you'd like to reroute a package after it's been shipped, we can do so for a $20 re-routing fee. We cannot re-route a package across state borders. For any change of address, please contact us as soon as possible, ideally within 1-2 days from placing the order or we cannot guarantee we'll be able to reroute or change your order's shipping address.


Canceling an Order

If you'd like to cancel an order after it's been shipped, we can do so upon payment of a small cancellation fee – the amount depends on the size of the order. Carriers charge us a lot of money to recall a package en-route.


Heat/Frost damage

We are not responsible for heat- or frost-related issues. We offer ice-packs upon request. Please let us know if you think that there could be heat-related issues. If we don't hear anything from you regarding weather issues before an order is shipped, or if you don't request a hold due to the weather, we are not responsible for heat/frost damage.


Placed an order. What next?

1. You will receive an order confirmation email with your order summary.*

2. As soon as your order ships from the warehouse, usually within 2-3 business days, this applies to all shipping rates, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with your tracking information. 2DAY shipping refers to shipping time; we still need 2-3 business days to prepare an order. We need to pick and pack, QA, add printed collateral, and palletize the orders.

3. Please track your package using the tracking service.

4. The carrier will attempt delivery a maximum of 3 times. After 3 delivery attempts, your package will be sent back to our warehouse.**

*Please ensure your email address is correct; otherwise, you will not receive the order and shipping confirmation emails.

**If delivery is attempted 3 times without success, or if you fail to retrieve your package from the carrier depot by the stated deadline, the shipping fee will not be refunded to the customer.

Returns Policy

If you are not satisfied with your purchase, please contact us at (424) 414-2040 or via e-mail at hello@primalwine.com between 9 am and 5 pm Pacific Standard Time, Monday through Sunday, we would like to understand and try to solve your concerns. We can offer refunds only as store credit.

Producer profile

Agnanum

Agnanum is a small family estate located within the crater of Agnano, on the volcanic hills of the Parco Naturale degli Astroni in the Campi Flegrei area west of Naples. The vineyard was established in 1960 by Gennaro Moccia, who planted both Falanghina and Piedirosso on the steep terraced hillside above the ancient solfatara. Raffaele Moccia, Gennaro's son, now manages the estate, which covers approximately four hectares. The site overlooks the outskirts of Naples with a view toward the Tyrrhenian Sea.

All vineyard work at Agnanum is done entirely by hand using a hoe; the steepness of the terrain and the soft volcanic sand make mechanization impossible and prevent the use of even a mule. Whenever rain falls, the sandy terraces wash downhill and must be rebuilt manually. Raffaele farms without chemical treatments of any kind. He allows grass to grow wild between rows to compete with vines for water, then cuts it to create green manure. He also applies rabbit manure from his own free-range rabbit farm on site. Vine stress from the dry, poor-soil conditions results in very low yields. Many vines grow on their own ungrafted rootstocks due to the phylloxera-resistant volcanic sand. Vine age ranges from 10 to 60 years old for the main varieties, with some co-planted indigenous field varieties reaching up to 200 years.

In the cellar, Raffaele follows traditional, low-intervention methods. Fermentation is spontaneous using native yeasts in stainless steel tanks. Malolactic fermentation occurs naturally in the same vessels. The wine is aged for several months in stainless steel, then bottled with coarse filtration, unfined, with no sulfur additions at bottling. A small amount of sulfur, around 10ppm, is added at the start of fermentation for preservation. Releases are typically delayed approximately one year after harvest.

Wine region

Campania, Italy

Campania occupies the southwestern coast of Italy, centered on Naples and stretching inland through the Apennine foothills. The region produces wines from a wide range of elevations and soil types, from the volcanic coastline of Campi Flegrei and the islands of Ischia and Procida to the limestone-clay hills of Irpinia further east. The climate is Mediterranean along the coast, with hot dry summers moderated by sea breezes off the Tyrrhenian, and cooler, higher-rainfall conditions inland at elevation. Campania holds 15 DOC and 4 DOCG designations, including Taurasi, Fiano di Avellino, and Greco di Tufo among the DOCGs, alongside DOCs such as Campi Flegrei, Vesuvio, and Ischia.

Campi Flegrei, meaning burning fields, is a volcanic zone immediately northwest of Naples comprising a large caldera with 24 craters and volcanic formations, some still emitting sulfur gas. The DOC was established in 1994 and covers around 100 hectares across six municipalities including Pozzuoli, Bacoli, Monte di Procida, Marano, Quarto, and Naples, plus the island of Procida. Soils are a mix of volcanic ash, sand, lapilli, pumice, and tuff, all products of eruptions spanning the past 40,000 years. These sandy volcanic soils are inhospitable to the phylloxera louse, allowing many producers to maintain ungrafted vines. The primary white grape is Falanghina, grown here in its Flegrei biotype, distinct from the Falanghina Beneventano found further inland. Piedirosso is the main red variety.

Frequently asked question

We will process and ship your order in 2-3 business days, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking as soon as the Carrier scans the shipping label.

Ground shipping time depends on location, here's a breakdown:

West Coast: 1-2 business days
Midwest: 3-4 business days
East Coast: 5 business days

Process time is not shipping time. Shipping time starts from the days successive to the day of shipping, after the order has been processed.

See here our shipping policy.

Signature on delivery is mandatory for wine deliveries. Please make sure someone is at the shipping address to sign for the package.

If applicable, please consider delivering the package to a business address to ensure someone is available to sign for the package.

We also have the option of delivering the package to a Carrier's store for pickup. Please reach out to us to coordinate.

Carrier will try to delivery a package up to three times before returning the package to us.

See here our shipping policy.

If you miss a delivery and a package gets returned to us we have two options:

1) Reship the package right away: due to the very high cost of shipping and returns, we must charge a re-shipping fee to be determined based on package size and shipping destination.

2) Consolidate the returned package with your next order: this option is free of charge and it's the most popular option.

See here our shipping policy.

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