Despite their connection to a famous historic disaster, the slopes of Mount Vesuvius are home to some of Italy’s most distinct, and ancient vines. The local red grape, Piedirosso (“red feet”) was named by none other than Roman writer Pliny the Elder in his Naturalis Historia, referring to the red stalks of the variety’s grape bunches. Although there’s no known genetic connection, Piedirosso often feels like a less-intense version of Aglianico: there’s fresh wildberry fruit, spice, and a hint of smoke, all of which you’ll find in Cantine Olivella’s “Vipt.” Typically blended with said Aglianico in the red version of Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio, this is a relatively rare “varietal” version from an assortment of high-elevation vineyards within the Vesuvio National Park. Elegant and effortless right out of the gate, it’s a deliciously drinkable window into Campania’s past, present, and future!
Andrea Cozzolino tapped into historic family vineyard holdings in the Vesuvio National Park to launch his Cantine Olivella label in 2004. Today he farms about 30 hectares of mostly ungrafted vines that are exclusively local grape varieties. The plots are surrounded by a beautiful nature preserve, and are necessarily farmed organically in order to help preserve this unique ecosystem. The steep slopes, volcanic terrain, and isolated vines all make work here very difficult–the project is a true labor of love.
The vineyard sources for Olivella’s “Vipt” come from the slopes of Monte Somma, geologically the oldest part of Vesuvius, and range in altitude from 900 to 1,800 feet of elevation. “Vipt” is a play on Neapolitan dialect for “to drink,” and more specifically, to drink with pleasure. Winemaking is fully geared toward this playful pun: The fruit is hand harvested in early October, fully de-stemmed, and gently pressed into steel tanks for fermentation and then aging for an additional 10 months in those same tanks before bottling. The focus is on freshness and purity of fruit in order to “drink with pleasure!”
Aged in tank only and designed for early consumption, the 2022 “Vipt” displays a translucent ruby core moving to garnet and pink at the rim, with a tangle of sweet, spicy, and savory that is quintessentially Campanian. Serve cool, around 55-60 degrees, in a Burgundy stem and there’s little doubt you’re drinking a volcanic red, as notes of ash and smoke mingle with wild berries, black and red plums, pomegranate, violet, flint, tar, and charred meat. The acidity is brisk and the tannins are sandy but not aggressive–a perfect wine for a spicy Neapolitan pizza.
