Ippolito 1845 Mabilia Ciro Rosato 2022
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From Gaglioppo, the most ancient native grape of Calabria, Mabilia is born, a tribute to the Normann princess who lived in the Cirò area in the 11th century.
A brilliant rosè color with hues of violet and a delicate and fruity aroma with clear notes of sour black cherries and roses. The taste is fresh, delicate and very persistent.
Ippolito 1845 is one of the oldest continuous viticulture sites within Calabria, having been established over 170 years ago when Vincenzo Ippolito first carved his initials into the stonework outside his cottage in 1845 within the vineyards of Cirò. Though the region itself was heavily dedicated to ariguclture, all wines created were consumed locally. After World War I Don Vincenzo Ippolito, wishing to continue the legacy of his grandfather, returned filled with the desires to create and innovate. His first steps were to build the first modern cellar in Cirò, and over the years the industry for wine grew in the region, leading to the birth of their first two official labels, a Cirò Rosso and a Cirò Riserva, both bottled after ten years of aging in large chestnut barrels.
Following in their fathers footsteps, the two sons of Vincenzo, Antonio and Salvatore Ippolito, began to implement modern agriculture, with a drive towards mechanization without shrinking the value of quality. The first approaches to foreign markets begin with Germany and the United States. In Cirò in 1969 the grape varieties were identified as in Gaglioppo and Greco Bianco through the need for product specification for exporting. As the company continued to grow, the 60 ha of the hilly estate of Mancuso, in the heart of the DOC, was transformed into vineyards by planting only native varieties: Gaglioppo and Greco Bianco.
Now the company is run by their fifth generation, and is now made up of three estates in the heart of the Cirò DOC: Mancuso, Feudo and Difesa Piana, which span across a total of 100 hectares. These estates range in in vine age from being planted in 1972-2005, and sprawl from the rolling hills to the sunny flat lands budding up to the Ionian Sea. The soils consist of sandy-silt, alluvial, and limestone matrix. The winery has not lost sight of their focus on celebrating underrated and under-utilized indigenous grape varieties, therefore the vinayards are planted to the following: Gaglioppo, Greco Bianco, Calabrese and Pecorello.
Whether it’s playful and fun or savory and serious, most rosé today is not your grandmother’s White Zinfandel, though that category remains strong. Pink wine has recently become quite trendy, and this time around it’s commonly quite dry. Since the pigment in red wines comes from keeping fermenting juice in contact with the grape skins for an extended period, it follows that a pink wine can be made using just a brief period of skin contact—usually just a couple of days. The resulting color depends on grape variety and winemaking style, ranging from pale salmon to deep magenta.
As the toe of Italy’s boot and closer in proximity to Sicily than any other mainland Italian region, Calabria holds much much in common with the island by way of climate, landscape and agriculture. Calabria’s principal red grape, Gaglioppo, is also a close relative of Sicily’s famous Nerello Mascalese.
Cirò, Calabria’s most valuable appellation, covers gently sloped hills on the Ionian Sea coast. Its wines are based on the indigenous red, Gaglioppo, and can be made as single varietal wines or blended with Cabernet or Merlot. Also of interest from Calabria is the red Maglioppo, likely a relative of Sangiovese. Whites here are made of Greco.