The Wine: Terra Magliocco 2021
Cantine Benvenuto Terra Magliocco 2021 is a red wine made from a blend of Magliocco Canino, and Greco Nero farmed organically in Calabria, Southern Italy. Stunning Southern Italian wine, made from one of Italy's most underrated varieties, Magliocco. Ripe red fruit, tobacco, spice, nice tannins. Food wine par excellence.
The Producer: Cantine Benvenuto
Upon turning 18 Giovanni Benvenuto left his native Abruzzo and moved back to Calabria, the native land of his father. He studied to become an agronomist and decided to revive the vineyards that belonged to his grandfather. The winery is located on the region's west coast, just a couple of miles from the sea town of Pizzo, where there had been a long tradition of quality wines, since the Phoenicians introduced the vitis vinifera to the region. Giovanni's objective is the recovery of the historic Zibibbo di Pizzo grape varietal, otherwise destined to extinction.
For this objective he has grouped fellow small, traditional producers and formed a Slow Food Presidium in order to preserve and valorize this varietal. He is now producing a dry and sweet version of this aromatic wine, together with 3 other wines made with indigenous grapes: Magliocco, Greco Nero, Calabrese and Malvasia. The 5 hectares of terraced vineyards sit at 900 feet above sea level, are rich in minerals and receive beneficial marine winds. The land is farmed organically and the entire production is 15.000 bottles. (source: Jan D'Amore)
The Region: Calabria