Biodynamic wines from Ausonia
9/19/18 -
We are very excited to offer fantastic new biodynamic wines from Azienda Agricola Ausonia, located in the Abruzzo region of Southern Italy. Ausonia was founded in 2006 by Simone Binelli, who had worked for six years as a pharmacist before deciding to take the plunge and pursue his dream of becoming a winemaker. After studying viticulture and enology in Florence, he and his wife Francesca purchased land in Atri and began work on the property by improving the existing Montepulciano and Trebbiano vines, planting a few hectares of Pecorino, and building an eco-friendly cellar. Ausonia is located in the northern part of Abruzzo, in the province of Teramo, and the soils at the estate are composed of a mix of limestone and clay. The 12 hectares of vineyards and 400 olive trees that are grown on the property sit at an elevation of 270 meters, protected by the Gran Sasso Mountain to the west and are exposed, beneficially, to the cooling breezes of the Adriatic Sea to the east.
From the beginning, the guiding principle at Ausonia has been maintaining a natural balance between the soil and vine. Simone and Francesca have been using organic viticultural practices since day one, beginning the official process of certification in 2013, and converting to biodynamics the following year. Even the name Ausonia is rooted in their devotion to the land. Simone named the estate after the rare and beautiful butterfly, Euchloe Ausonia, that his entomologist father discovered one day while walking through his son’s recently purchased property. He chose the name Ausonia as a symbol of the link between the wines, nature and the land, and as a reminder that his new vine-growing pursuit should always be in harmony with the region’s natural beauty. This commitment to naturalism continues in the cellar with the use of natural vinification methods. Starting with varieties that are native to Abruzzo, the grapes are all estate-grown, hand-harvested and fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts. Wines are allowed to undergo malolactic fermentation, with no fining or filtering, and are all bottled using minimal amounts of sulfur.
Montepulciano grapes make up the bulk of what is grown on the estate and are used to make three very different styles of wines: first, the medium-bodied and fruity red Ausonia 2015 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Colline Teramane Apollo, is fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks, giving the wines an easily approachable freshness. Second, the full-bodied and earthy red Ausonia 2015 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Colline Teramane Anfora is fermented and stored in clay amphora, giving the wine more depth, structure, and a distinct earthy yet mineral character. And third, the deeply hued and full-bodied rosé Ausonia 2015 Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo, which is macerated for several days on the skins and is full of juicy flavor and character.
Trebbiano grapes are grown on three hectares of the estate and are made into the light-bodied white, Ausonia 2015 Trebbiano d'Abruzzo Apollo, which is fermented and aged in stainless steel, giving the wine a fresh and fruity character. Lastly, the lesser-known Pecorino grape is grown on two-and-a half hectares of the property and is made into the light-bodied and lively white, Ausonia 2015 Abruzzo Pecorino Machaon, which is also fermented and aged in stainless steel and is a superb example of the zippy and characterful wines this grape is capable of making. These are five delicious wines from Abruzzo that are not to be missed!
-Anna DeBeer
