Argillae
The Land
Argillae is located in Orvieto, Umbria: Italy’s green heart. Umbria is a land unto itself, the only Italian region that borders neither the sea nor another country. While it shares the same glorious pastoral scenery as Tuscany – the olive groves, vineyards and cypress-topped hills – Umbria managed to remain untouched and removed from outside influences, thus keeping alive many of Italy’s old-world traditions. Argillae is the latin name for ‘clay’; one of the main component of the soil of this terroir. The second and most interesting component? Hundrend of fossils and shellfish from the Pliocene Area!
The People
The estate is the love-child of Giuseppe Bonollo (one of the biggest name in grappa and distillates production in Italy) and his great passion for this land and its fruits, and began its life in 1990. Today it is Giulia di Cosimo, who inherited the same passion of grandfather Giuseppe, who carries forward the company project with great enthusiasm. Grapes are cultivated with full respect for the environment and the ecosystem, to create wines that are strongly rooted in the local context, and at the same time capable to highlight a unique and well-defined personality.
The Wine
Orvieto Classico Superiore DOC “Panata”
One of the best expression of the Orvieto appellation, it’s obtained by selecting the best clones of Grechetto, Procanico and Chardonnay.
The musts ferment separately in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. A small potion of the Grechetto must is fermented and refined in oak barriques and everything is then blended together. The wine remains on the lees until it is bottled in March/April. This is a well structured, elegant wine with hints of yellow flowers, grapefruit, nice minerality and good acidity. It is named after a medieval pitcher used for pouring wine and water, traditionally characterized by a prominent beak and decorated with animal, floral or mythological motifs.
Wine Advocate – Robert Parker: 88+ Gambero Rosso: 2 glasses
Doctor Wine: 88/100
Luca Maroni: 94 pts
Veronelli: 87 pts
James Suckling: 91 pts
