La Visciola
About
All of the Macciocca family’s vines of Cesanese were planted in the 1960’s, and they’ve been farmed organically since then, with applications of copper or sulfur only in the vines for the last sixty years. They’ve also been farming biodynamically since 2005, with the tiny winery’s first release in 2008. The thing you notice first at the winery is the palpable vibrancy in the vineyards: legumes and nitrogen-fixing plants between the rows, old fruit trees interspersed and preserved among the vines, some of the old pergola training systems remaining. This is a pocket of Italy where old traditions have not been forgotten; indeed the notion of monoculture is almost laughable in this rural appellation of Piglio, whose character still hasn’t been fully revealed to the wine world.
Cesanese del Piglio DOCG is located in the province of Frosinone: vineyards are dotted around the foot of a large, striking rocky outcropping, with olive trees and pine woods in a patchwork circling the steep hill. The village itself is built up onto the side of these large, rocky hills. With total hectares in the Piglio appellation around a whopping 250-300, Piero actually has a notable piece of this special place (at 4ha!). The climate is between continental and Mediterranean, the soils are all red clay. As of the 2022 vintage, the wines are all made in concrete tanks, with most aged for a year before bottling.
It’s simple stuff on the surface, but the very best part of the Macciocca family’s work is the hard-to-believe beauty of the wines. The majority of the Cesanese vineyards are vinified separately, as in crus—they strike one immediately of great single-vineyard Barolo or Brunello, but with none of the gloss, none of the confusion about farming or small oak or extraction, nothing so fancy. But the wines are beguilingly perfumed and have a core of pure, dark fruit that unravels slowly; neither are they lacking in acidity or fine structure—here there is purity, depth and intrigue.
We only receive a small tranche from this tiny domaine each year; this is only our third go-around. This year, we do have a few different vintages on offer, largely the freshly arrived 2022s and a few of the 2021s. In general, Piero describes the ‘22s as being a little bit more easygoing, with more plush fruit presence right up front and opening up nicely straight out of the bottle, whereas wines from 2021 are more fully balanced between extract, fruit, acidity, and fine tannic structure—but perhaps they want a bit more time open when drinking. Piero does share, however, that he’s very content with both vintages, despite their a slightly different character.
We expect the more people come to know the Maccioccas’ work, the harder these will be to obtain. These are Cesanese which make us a bit overcome in their cellar. It should also be said that the world’s greatest Passerina is hiding out in these hills, too. We’re grateful to Piero and Rosa for letting us bring a small piece of their work to the States: these really are wines that introduce the story of world-class wine for an entire appellation.
Products
Passerina del Frusinate 'Donna Rosa'
Biodynamic. 100% Passerina. This is the exact same wine as the elegant still Passerina, ‘Donna Rosa,’ only with a tiny portion separated for refermentation in the spring. Fresh must is added and the wine is bottled, allowing bubbles to naturally develop in bottle. Little lightning, clover fields, foamy lemon zest in a bottle. Piero mostly makes this wine to drink with his colleagues: the limited cases we’re offered are a wink and nod to friends obsessed with this herbal, refreshing treat. Less than 1000 btls total.
Cesanese del Piglio 'Vignali'
Biodynamic. 100% Cesanese. A single-vineyard parcel of 60+ year-old Cesanese vines on red clay at 380msl. ‘Vignali’ is always the most perfumed and delicate of the four single-vineyard Cesanese Piero Macciocca produces. Fermented and aged for at least one year in all concrete tanks. Unfined, unfiltered. 2000 btls total.
Cesanese del Piglio 'Ju Quarto'
Biodynamic. 100% Cesanese. A single-vineyard parcel of 60+ year-old Cesanese vines on red clay at 300msl. ‘Ju Quarto’ is always a powerful expression of the grape, darker-fruited and with a striking similarity to Nebbiolo in Barolo. Takes several hours open to reach its peak. Fermented and aged for at least one year in concrete tanks. Unfined, unfiltered. 1500 btls total.
Cesanese del Piglio 'Vicinale'
Biodynamic. 100% Cesanese. A mix of different plots of 45-60 year-old Cesanese all on red clay soils at between 340-400m above sea level. ‘Vicinale’ is the ‘village level’ or flagship red wine at La Visciola. It’s the only Cesanese at the domaine made entirely in stainless steel, with at least a year of aging before bottling. Unfined, unfiltered. 3000 btls total.
Frusinate 'Cupella" Bianco Frizzante
Biodynamic. 100% Passerina. This is the exact same wine as the elegant still Passerina, ‘Donna Rosa,’ only with a tiny portion separated for refermentation in the spring. Fresh must is added and the wine is bottled, allowing bubbles to naturally develop in bottle. Little lightning, clover fields, foamy lemon zest in a bottle. Piero mostly makes this wine to drink with his colleagues: the limited cases we’re offered are a wink and nod to friends obsessed with this herbal, refreshing treat. Less than 1000 btls total.
Cesanese del Piglio 'Ju Lattaro'
Biodynamic. 100% Cesanese. A single-vineyard parcel of 60+ year-old Cesanese vines on red clay at 350msl. ‘Ju Quarto’ is always a powerful expression of the grape, darker-fruited and with a striking similarity to Nebbiolo in Barolo. Takes several hours open to reach its peak. Fermented and aged for at least one year in a mix of concrete tanks and neutral barrels. Unfined, unfiltered. 1500 btls total.
Cesanese del Piglio 'Mozzatta'
Biodynamic. 100% Cesanese. A single-vineyard parcel of 75+ year-old Cesanese vines at 350msl. This parcel, ‘Mozzatta,’ is different from all the rest of the La Visciola crus; it has a higher proportion of white clay in the soils that gives even deeper power and more aromatic concentration than in all the other little vineyards. We’ve tasted it with around 8-10 years of age, and it reminds us for all the world of great, mature Vosne-Romanée or Nuits-Saint-Georges. Fermented and aged for at least one year in a mix of concrete tanks and neutral barrels; another year in bottle. Unfined, unfiltered. 1500 btls total. This 2020 represents a back vintage released to us specifically from the winery this year; this wine won’t exist or be offered again. Mozzatta is destined for greatness and should be given another 5-10 years to age, if you can keep from drinking it now.
Lazio Rosso 'Nostrano'
Biodynamic. 100% Nostrano. This is a tiny-production red wine made from the Lazian native variety Nostrano, also known as Maiolica, a rare red that is scattered throughout the old-vines Cesanese vineyards here and there. Quantities are incredibly small, as a result, since like La Visciola's Passerina, this is a variety that is blended into the vineyards in the old style of mixed plantations within the field from the previous century. Medium-bodied, fresh and unique, it's not the same baritone depth of the Cesanese from this house, but instead leans more toward a Sangiovese-like brightness, with red berry fruit and freshness. Fermented and aged entirely in stainless steel, unfined and unfiltered.
