Podere Veneri Vecchio

Words from Raffaello Annicchiarico.
Our philosophy:
The starting point is to safeguard the land, plants, and people. We work with nature, not against it, because we consider agriculture a common good rich in life that we must protect and safeguard. That life interacts, communicates, evolves, and continuously collaborates to create and regenerate its own complex natural fertility, giving a strong identity to each territory.

In the Vineyard:
We work with and have recovered ancient native grape varieties, many of which were once grown only in the Castelvenere area (one of the most vineyard-rich municipalities in Italy as well as the most vineyard-rich in Campania), rediscovered and restored (e.g., Grieco, Cerreto, Agostinella Camaiola, Piscialietto, etc.).

The soils on which the vines are grown have a clayey, calcareous component mixed with gray tuff (soil of volcanic origin), volcanic rocks once used to build the farmhouse and the cellar. We do not use any synthetic chemicals, instead focusing our attention on restoring the natural fertility of the land and respecting and enhancing ecosystems (protecting the life of an ecosystem means making the vines stronger and more vibrant), which allows the harvest of healthy bunches without any chemical residues. Vineyard defense treatments (phytotherapy) are carried out using plant essences (plants collected by us) such as nettle, horsetail, borage, etc., which are macerated and fermented, to then naturally treat the vines. We also use raw propolis taken directly from bee hives. These treatments safeguard and protect the ecosystems and strengthen the plants' natural defenses. The vineyards extend over 5 hectares.

In the winery:
An ancestral, ancient, and artisanal work, using spontaneous yeasts that are naturally selected in a healthy vineyard, no temperature control, working with the skins and the yeasts themselves during aging, without resorting to the use of chemical additives, correctives,  and brutal and invasive technologies. Harvesting is done manually, with the grapes transported in crates to the winery.

For aging, we use truncated cone-shaped barrels made from native woods from our area (woods that ancient farmers once used to make their wines), such as acacia, chestnut, and cherry.

“Everything has cracks, but it is through those cracks that the light passes.” Leonard Cohen

Wines:
Most are mixed vineyards in Castelvenere, as the ancient farmers used to cultivate.

The soil has clayey components mixed with significant volcanic/taffaceous components.

The farmhouse and the old cellar were built with these very volcanic stones.

The land is also strongly influenced by salty sea air, which, especially from spring onwards, is blown by a coastal wind that passes through the vineyards.

Notturni Passaggi
Grape: Field blend (sp/p)
A pét-nat from eight local varieties of red and white. Lighly sparkling and electric.

Made from 8 varieties of our native grape varieties, both white and red, processed and vinified together: Camaiola, Aglianico, Sangiovese, Pizzutella, Agostinella, Grieco, Cerreto and Falanghina.

Spontaneous fermentation (without temperature control) and aging partly in stainless steel and partly in chestnut barrels. It has not undergone filtration or clarification.

Terra Nuda
Grapes: Camaiola & Aglianico, Grieco & Cerreto (p)
Three days on skins making this rich and deep rose

Made from four grape varieties, two red and two white, with two days of maceration. Spontaneous fermentation in fiberglass and stainless steel and aging in fiberglass.

Il Tempo Ritrovato
Grapes: Grieco, Cerreto 2022 (o)

Macerated on the skins for 25 days, spontaneous fermentation without temperature control. Aged in chestnut and cherry barrels. No filtration or fining.

Bianco Tempo
Grapes: Grapes: Grieco, Cerreto, Falanghina 2022 (o)

Macerated on the skins for 8-10 days and spontaneously fermented without temperature control.
It is aged in stainless steel with a brief stint in chestnut and acacia barrels. It is not filtered or clarified.

Bella Ciao
Grape: Agostinella (o)
An ancient grape revived, underwent 12 days of maceration on the skins, fermentation with spontaneous yeasts without temperature control, aged in acacia and cherry barrels; unfiltered and unclarified.

Risvegli
Grieco, Cerreto on Aglianico and Camaiola skins (r)
A white transformed by red skins – savoury and textural

Fuorirotta
Grapes: Grieco & Cerreto
Like a medieval elixir, not a vermouth nor a fortified wine. From white grapes left to infuse with rosemary, thyme, bay, sage, myrtle and spices like cloves cinnamon, ginger. Not for everyone, but perfect for some of us after dinner!