2016 Alea Jacta Est

Fortunately, Gianmarco Antonuzzi quit his career as a lawyer in Rome early on and moved to Paris to pursue a life as a food and wine journalist. The creative urge in him was so strong, however, that he set out to learn how to make wine from Bruno Schueller in Alsace, where he met Clémentine Bouveron in 2001. She had moved to north-eastern France from Lyon to study viticulture and oenology. In 2004, Gianmarco fell in love with an abandoned vineyard in Lazio near the three-hectare Gradoli childhood home known as ‘Le Coste’ with an overwhelming view 600 meters above Lake Bolsena. Clémentine agreed to help plant new vines in Gradoli, and in the end, the two not only fell in love with the place but also with each other.

The soil is volcanic and rich in iron and minerals giving the wines a completely unique terroir. Lake Bolsena has a great impact on the individual plots, and depending on the location and the altitude, the temperature can fluctuate enormously. The vines are planted among olive trees, chestnut trees, oak trees and wild shrubs. The vineyards of Le Coste are not ploughed, and grass and weeds grow freely to let nature and the surrounding landscape come into play naturally, allowing the vines to benefit from biodiversity. All work is done by hand, but overall, the plants are left alone if they do not need to be tended to. The couple works according to organic and partly biodynamic principles, but most wines are not certified.

Le Coste work with fiberglass tanks and barrels made of oak, cherry and walnut, which gives the wines a French touch. All plots and grapes are vinified and stored separately in a 400-year-old cellar in Gradoli, and absolutely nothing is added to the wine. These are some of the freest and most unmanipulated wines you can find in Italy, and Gianmarco is a true master of élevage. The result is easy-drinking and pure wines that also offer lots of complexity and terroir.