The proactive attitude, enthusiasm and optimism of Demetrio Stancati and Flaviana Bilotti (partner in life and in business), are the first notes you take visiting Serracavallo winery in Calabria region, south of Italy.
We are, specifically, in the district of Cosenza city, in a charming estate I visited on a clear afternoon, at sunset. We took the advantage of this beautiful weather to sit down on the terrace overlooking the vineyards and then take a long talk together, enjoying some wine. More precisely we are a few steps from Sila (the mountain) and so a good altitude (about 600 meters a.s.l.) is combined with the sea breeze that cools and gives minerality.
Demetrio family was not used to drink wine, but the fate brought him to Monferrato (in Piedmont, famous wine region in the north of Italy) to perform military service and he fallen in love with the great wines of the area. So once finished the military service he went to France in search of secrets and even before, production notes. Then he started an initial production and when the president of the notorious “Slow Food Association” in the 90s stated to be enthusiastic about his wines, Demetrio realized that wine production was going to become his job.
Here is the story of a really interesting company beyond numbers, scores and technical notes that, maybe, together, we will face anyway but with a different premise and a positive spirit such as the one of the affable owners.
They work on about 30 hectares of vines, at least for now! The bottles are about 80,000 and about 75% of red wines, mainly for the local market, regional (but also for some European countries, Russia and recently USA and Canada).
Demetrio is full of ideas, for example the consortium created with other manufacturers to make a team and be stronger, yet, the fruitful relationship with the institutions that after a sort of initial skepticism “today institutions compete to support initiatives that can only bring value to the entire territory” says Demetrio satisfied also of the activities of Sommelier association in Calabria for their effort in terms of wine education. And he is also running some experiments in the cellar as -for example- the desire of sparkling wines, with an initial support of Franciacorta for the ‘remuage’ (notorious wine area in the north of Italy for the production of sparkling wines).
But, at this point the wisdom of Flaviana mixed with her expertise in marketing, become crucial; she restrains him -when needed- to avoid confusion on the markets, good job!
There are different wines, I like to mention “Settechiese” (fantasy name meaning “seven churches”) which takes its name from the tradition of the past to make wine for churches and whereas in Bisignano there are seven districts with 7 churches … A tradition that reminds me a bit the path of Californians who -because of Prohibition at the beginning of the XX century- stopped wine production, except for some companies that continued to produce exclusively for the churches.
Yet, it’s very nice the vintage 2013 of their rosé, recently awarded by “Radici del Sud” “Don Filì” with the vintage 2011. I find intriguing “Besidiae” (2013), made from the whites Pecorello (native grape, 40%), Chardonnay (30%) and Riesling 30%, which is still too young to be completed with the aromas of hydrocarbons, for example, and so I am going to try it in a few years. I find particularly pleasing also the reds such as the cru “Terraccia” (2011) with an intense nose of red fruits but also a hint of incense and in the mouth is smooth and structured, suggesting a good longevity. This was the top wine until -a few years ago- when a magnificent “Savuco” was born: we tasted the vintage 2010 with notes of black fruits and especially blackberries and then in the mouth is full with fine tannins, herbaceous note and chocolate allowing a usually difficult combination with chocolate! Some other wines complete the range and there will be other opportunities for tasting.
Stay tunned.
