Ciolli's Enchanting Cesanese

Silene is named for the wildflower… Courtesy of https://www.damianociolli.it/

Cesanese is such a friggen beautiful grape when someone knows what they are doing - and third generation Damiano Ciolli along with his brilliant wife Letizia Rocchi, who rightfully earned her stripes attaining a PhD in grapevine Physiology and Winemaking (aka badass and my new hero), has cracked the code to delivering some of the most compelling Cesanese to make its way out of Lazio - a region that has long been associated with meager, overcropped Frascati and such for the Roman taverns. Much of that has been changing, though, just as we see throughout Italy in the last couple of decades. Folks like Damiano who were born into agricultural families who farmed for survival and less for achieving high art/quality, are taking their family estates into a new direction. 

The Ciollis can be found in Olevano Romano to the southeast of Rome tucked within Lazio. They are in the land of ancient volcanoes, so unsurprisingly their vineyards are perched and protected within a valley of rolling hills, sitting at about 300-450 meters on red volcanic rock. They experience a more Mediterranean climate - an ideal situation for the Cesanese grape. In some ways, it reminds me of Cinsault - with more dried floral notes, saline undertones, and savory qualities. It just smells and tastes Mediterranean — warm alcohols but fresh light fruit. They hold 7 hectares which they farm themselves. 

Ever since Damiano took over from his grandfather Guido and father Constantino in 2001, he and his wife and been working to restore the soils, using green manures/composting, Biodynamic applications, and never any pesticides or herbicides. They work with the more specific Cesanese d’Affile variety, which breeds smaller berries and noticeably finer quality in contrast to the more common Cesanese Comune. Within the Cesanese di Olevano Romano DOC, one must represent at least 85% of the blend - but Ciolli fully uses the Affile variety. 

Damiano makes only 3 wines, and we will be starting with the flagship, I suppose you could say: Silene. Silene is named for a wildflower that runs rampant in their vineyards. These grape are pulled from several blocks with an average age of 30 years. They are head trained as well as some cordon. The blocks ferment separately with native yeast in concrete for about 10 days with the skins then to age for no more than a year in concrete as well. The blocks are then blended and left to synthesize for about  3 months in bottle. 

This a really fresh wine that loves a chill and is ideal with Provencal and rustic Tuscan dishes inspired food - these are easy pizza/pasta/charcuterie wines but go a little further and think rosemary, white beans, poultry, game hen, even fish stews, or autumnal/wintry slow braised meals or sides.