We recently caught up with natural wine-maker Giulio Armani and had a chance to ask him about his wines, wine-making techniques, and his very special limestone vineyards high up in the hills of Piacenza. The interview is below.
Sedimentary: Why did you decide to make your white wines with skins intact?
Giulio: Because the grape’s quality and the typicity are in the skin. If we work with a maceration, we can extract the best part of the grape. In whole Italy, white and red wines have been made from the same way : using the skin. And for that purpose, I consider it as a tradition.
Skin Maceration for Catavela
Sedimentary: You make your wines from traditional Emiglia-Romagna grapes. Can you tell us about these grapes and what makes them special?
Giulio: The local grapes have the advantages to produce wines strongly linked to the place where they are from, which is for me, fundamental! Making wines with a personnality and that are in no way standard.
Sedimentary: Dinavolo comes from a very special vineyard high in the hills near Piacenza (350-450m). Can you tell us more about your Débé vineyard?
Giulio: Débé was planted in 1975 with 25% Malvasia di Candia Aromatica, 25% Ortrugo, 25% Marsanne, and 25% an unknown local grape.
The soil of the vineyard is made up of clay and lots of Limestone. It is stoney and fresh. There is even more limestone on the upper part of the plot where we harvest very well-matured grapes for producing Dinavolo. In the lower part of the plot, the soil is richer and the juicier grapes will produce a fresher and lighter wine which is called Dinavolino.
Casserina Vineyard
Sedimentary: Catavela comes from your highest vineyards (600+m). Can you tell us more about these vineyards, the wine, and the difference between it and Dinavolo?
Giulio: The vineyards Campo Rotondo and Cassinèra have been planted in 2008 and 2009 with Malvasia di Candia Aromatica, Ortrugo, Marsanne, and small amount of Santa Maria. The soil is very similar to the soil in Débé, but we are in between 500 and 600 meters high and the temperatures are a little colder. The wines are fresher and more simple from there for a reason:young vineyard and colder place, this is Catavela.
We thank Giulio for his time. We import Giulio’s wines. If you would like to try them – check out our latest offer here.
Cheers
Mike and Matt
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