ESSENZO

Essenzo is the estate's definitive statement of Gaglioppo at its most authentic and territorial — the Cirò DOC expression that carries the full weight and character of the grape in its most complete form. The name speaks of essence: the concentrated, distilled expression of what this vine, on this specific hillside, in this specific combination of clayey mineral soil and Ionian coastal climate, is capable of producing when given the conditions and the care it deserves.

Vigne Brigante occupies approximately ten hectares on a steep hillside of Cirò that is geologically specific in its contribution to the wines: the mineral richness of the clayey soil, rich in valuable geological deposits, gives the Gaglioppo a structural depth and aromatic complexity that is different in character from the same grape grown on other soils in the same appellation. The attention given to each individual row and each individual vine — a founding value of the estate — ensures that the best expression of each plant reaches the cellar.

The nose of Essenzo is intense and unforgettable — a quality that the estate's own description captures accurately: red berries, undergrowth, and leather arrive in succession, with the dominant notes of dark cherry and jam emerging as the wine opens in the glass. This is a nose of genuine depth, of the kind that rewards return visits over the course of an evening rather than resolving itself in a single impression.

The palate is wide and enveloping, deep and balanced — the three characteristics that define Cirò Gaglioppo at its best. There is weight here, and structure, and the firm tannins of a grape grown on steep, mineral-rich hillside soil. But there is also balance: the acidity is present and sustaining, and the finish is long and clean. Essenzo is a wine for the table, for roasted meats, for game, for the aged cheeses of the Calabrian tradition.

Available through UniqueWines.