Casale del Giglio
Casale del Giglio, Lazio, Italy
Casale del Giglio, founded in 1967 by Dino Santarelli, stands as a beacon of innovation in the Italian wine industry, nestled in the Agro Pontino valley just south of Rome. Unlike the more traditional viticulture areas in the Lazio region, this valley was largely untapped for wine production when Santarelli envisioned its potential.
With the help of his son Antonio and the young oenologist Paolo Tiefenthaler, they embarked on a groundbreaking research project in 1985, experimenting with over 60 grape varieties to determine which would thrive in this unique terroir. Their success is best reflected in the production of high-quality wines like Mater Matuta and Aphrodisium, which have gained international acclaim, showcasing the estate's ability to blend tradition with modern winemaking techniques.
One of Casale del Giglio's most notable achievements is the revival and cultivation of the ancient Bellone grape, a variety that has been deeply rooted in the Latium region since Roman times. This grape, celebrated by Pliny the Elder, thrives in the unique terroir near Anzio, where a historical vineyard of Bellone is located.
The estate’s Bellone vineyard spans 2.40 hectares on sandy soil near the sea, with vines that are over 80 years old. Remarkably, these old vines resisted the phylloxera epidemic that devastated many European vineyards, allowing them to remain ungrafted. The vineyard management is entirely manual and organic, representing a genetic selection from historical clones, maintaining the authentic characteristics of the Bellone variety.
Casale del Giglio produces two exceptional wines from the Bellone grapes: the Anthium and the Radix. The Anthiumwine, named after the ancient city of Anzio, deep yellow in color, exudes flavors of ripe tropical fruits like mango and papaya, balanced by a marked acidity that enhances its aging potential and a long, lingering finish. A small passage in wood highlights its structure and creaminess. Additionally, the estate also produces the Riserva Radix, a wine that emphasizes the longevity potential of the Bellone grape thanks to a two-year ageing on the lees and a further evolution in terracotta amphora. These wines are particularly unique, given the vineyard's limited potential for expansion, making each bottle a reflection of a rare and treasured terroir.
The Bellone variety, though almost exclusively cultivated in the Lazio region, from the Castelli Romani to the Monti Lepini, including Anzio and Nettuno, has found its best expression in the coastal area. Local farmers have long noted that the best Bellone comes from the sea, and the Casale del Giglio vineyard, located outside the company boundaries in Anzio, exemplifies this belief.
The vineyard's medium-textured, sandy soils are well-drained but cool, providing the perfect conditions for this vigorous vine to thrive. According to winemaker Paolo Tiefenthaler, no other variety like Bellone can withstand the current climatic changes of rising temperatures and scarce rainfall; in fact, it benefits agronomically, encapsulating the essence of terroir at 360 degrees.
Casale del Giglio’s commitment to preserving the genetic heritage of the Bellone grape, alongside their innovative approach to viticulture, ensures that these wines not only honour the past but also hold immense potential for the future. The estate’s philosophy of maintaining the traditional agronomic management of the vineyard, without altering its historical practices, allows them to produce wines with a stronger flavor and lower production, true to the authentic Bellone character.
