Principio is made from organically grown, forty year old Ciliegiolo vines. Bright ruby in colour, yet very pale in intensity, this shows fresh, bright red cherry, raspberry and blueberry, fruit with violet top notes. Ripe (ripeness is rarely an issue in the Maremma), but dry and light-to-medium-bodied with zesty acids and minerality and firm tannins on the finish. This is a refreshing foil to rustic, hearty dishes like bean or meat stews, or to hard cheeses.
ANTONIO CAMILLO, Banditella di Alberese
Antonio Camillo owns two vineyards totalling 6 hectares in the Maremma Laziale in the very south of Tuscany. The climate is Mediterranean, soils are volcanic and the Ciliegiolo variety ripens beautifully here. His very old vine ‘Vallerana Alta’ was described in Decanter Magazine as “Italy’s best Ciliegiolo”. The Ciliegiolo varietal is believed to be either the parent, or the offspring of Sangiovese.