Il Vinco
Montefiascone, Lazio, Italy
Located in Montefiascone in the Viterbo province of Lazio, on the southern slopes of the volcanic Lago di Bolsena, Il Vinco is a joint effort between three friends. Daniele Manoni, Marco Fucini, and Nicola Brenciaglia started the project in 2014 to recuperate and restore the native Canaiolo Nero vines indigenous to the area. Canaiolo is most famously known as a blending grape in Chianti. Here in Lazio, planted on volcanic soils and bottled as a mono-varietal, the variety is allowed to shine.
With the assistance of another native of Lazio, Andrea Occhipinti, who allowed them use of his cellar, the friends began by purchasing 2.5 hectare of old vine Canaiolo, with another 2.5 just planted. The vines are planted in the area between Capodimonte and Marta on the southern shore of the Lago di Bolsena; Le Coste, another noteworthy producer, is located in Gradoli, on the northern side of the lake. The old vines are planted on hilly slopes between 250 and 450 meters above sea level. The climate here is ideal, with gentle breezes from the lake and good exposure. This, combined with their commitment to an organic approach in the vineyards, make for beautiful and interesting wines. Il Vinco is named for the pliable willow branch used to tie the vines to stakes in the vineyard.
Follow this link for a very cool article (in Italian) about the natural wine movement in Lazio, specifically Lago di Bolsena from Vice Munchies.
Our Selections
Il Vinco Biancoperso Vino Bianco 2022
“Biancoperso,” or “lost whites,” is a blend of native, local grape varieties from the area, including Procanico (Trebbiano Toscano), Rossetto (Trebbiano Giallo), and Malvasia Bianca Longo vines which were planted in the sandy, volcanic soils of Montefiascone on Lake Bolsena.
After crushing and destemming, the grapes spontaneously ferment in cement vats with their own yeasts and without the help of other oenological products. No clarification/filtration is carried out, and minimal sulfur dioxide (13 mg/l) is added only during the bottling phase. After a five day maceration on the skins, the wine remained in fiberglass vats for six months, before it was bottled and aged for 3 months before release. This is a delicious orange wine with notes of orange peel, and dried apricot, along with floral and spice notes. The finish is dry and minerally. Only 11.5% alcohol.
Il Vinco Forestico Vino Bianco 2022
A delicious dry Moscato with just a bit of Procanico in the blend. The fruit comes from organic vineyards in Lago di Bolsena. Typical Moscato notes of dried flowers and tropical notes are framed with atypical minerality from the volcanic soils. This is a fresh orange wine with only two days of skin contact, which gives just a hint of tannin to the wine. There is excellent sapidity or savoriness to the wine. This is a stunner. 12% alcohol.
Il Vinco Mistione Bianco 2022
Mistione Bianco is a new wine from Il Vinco. It’s a blend of Procanico, Trebbiano Giallo, and Malvasia Bianca Lunga from vineyards consisting of sandy-loam volcanic soil at 450m above sea level in the municipality of Montefiascone on Lake Bolsena. After hand-harvesting, the grapes are de-stemmed and pressed, kept on the skins for 1-2 days, then spontaneously fermented with its own yeasts in fiberglass tanks with no temperature control. No clarification or filtration occurs so the wine settles naturally for four months in fiberglass tanks. The resulting wine is bright yellow in color with lovely aromas of yellow plum, melon and passion fruit. The palate is round and nicely textured. Stylistically, this wine falls between a clean and fruity white wine and a textured orange wine. Bottled with minimal additions of SO2. 11.5% alcohol.
Il Vinco Mistione Rosato 2022
This is a blend of native red and white grapes: Canaiolo Nero, Procanico, Rossetto, Grechetto Rosso, and Malvasia Bianca Lunga, planted on volcanic and sandy soils. The grapes are fermented in fiberglass tanks with native yeasts and aged for three months in stainless steel and fiberglass with minimal SO2. The red grapes are left on the skins for only two days. The red and white grapes are blended after fermentation and aging. This is a beauty – a super glou glou fresh and natural wine with aromas and flavors of citrus fruits, forest berries, and a saline sapid character. 12.5% alcohol.
Il Vinco Mistione Rosso 2022
The new Mistione Rosso is a blend of Aleatico, Grechetto Rosso (Sangiovese) and Merlot from vineyards consisting of sandy-loam volcanic soil at 450m above sea level in the municipality of Montefiascone on Lake Bolsena. After hand-harvesting, the grapes are de-stemmed and gently pressed. The must then ferments spontaneously without temperature control in fiberglass tanks, with its own natural yeasts and without the aid of other oenological products. Fermentation takes about five days. No clarification or filtration occurs so the wine settles naturally for four months in fiberglass tanks. This is a delicious, bright red wine with loads of crunchy red fruit and a lightly perfumed nose, typical of the Aleatico grape, that suggests lavender or violets. Bottled with minimal additions of SO2. 12.5% alcohol.
Il Vinco Solounanotte Rosato (Canaiolo Nero) 2022
The Il Vinco guys call this “the road between rosé and red”: a 24-hour maceration of Canaiolo Nero comes from the same vineyard site as the grapes in Canajo but harvested slightly earlier. There is a spectacular freshness to this wine while also capturing the volcanic soil imprint.
After the 1-day maceration, spontaneous fermentation kicks off. The wine is then racked and spends 6-month maturation in steel. Bottled unfined, unfiltered, no additional SO2. 12% ABV.
Il Vinco Canajo Vino Rosso (Canaiolo Nero) 2021
Made from 100% Canaiolo Nero from 20+ year old vines and planted in cordone speronato. The vineyard, planted on volcanic sand and located at 380 meters above sea level in the commune of Capodimonte sul lago di Bolsena, is biodynamic as of 2017, with only small amounts of copper and sulfur used. After crushing and de-stemming, the grapes are spontaneously fermented in concrete tanks. After fermentation for eight days in concrete, the wine is transferred to stainless vats where it rests for three months before release. Minimal SO2 (26mg/l) is added at only at the bottling phase. 12.5% alcohol. This is light, fresh and juicy with lots of length.
Il Vinco “Una Mano Lava l`Altra 03” Rosato 2021
Una Mano Lava l`Altra, meaning “one hand washes the other,” is a joint project produced with different grapes from three different companies which share similar volcanic soils and a great friendship. The grapes for Una Mano were transported to Il Vinco in Lazio and vinified there.
“03” refers to the third project of the three wineries, the first being an orange wine, the second a light red and now this Rosato. The Una Mano 03 is a co-ferment of both white and red grapes with a short maceration of just one day. The white grapes are Trebbiano, Moscato and Malvasia Puntinata. The red grapes are Canaiolo Nero, Sangiovese and Barbera.
The fermentation takes place in small fiberglass bins and the wine is aged in used 600 liter French oak barrels for 12 months. The Una Mano is bottled in one liter bottles. This is a delicious, hearty Rosato that features notes of raspberry, strawberry, lemon verbena and a salty, savory character on the palate.
The wineries, the regions and the grapes are as follows:
Il Vinco - Lazio - Trebbiano, Moscato & Canaiolo Nero
Cantina Ribelà - Castelli Romani - Sangiovese & Malvasia Puntinata
Tenuta l'Armonia - Veneto - Barbera