Basaltica, Gambellara, Veneto
Basaltica is a young and super promising natural project born out of the passion of the three friends Federico, Matteo and Junior for Veneto’s Gambellara terroir and its most ancient and typical grape Garganega.
Renowned for its deep volcanic minerality and great aging potential, Garganega is also too often vinified in dull, conventional fashion.
Matteo is responsible for the vinification and is extremely meticulous and precise and experiments a lot to see to which heights they can take their grapes. Federico is the real worker, doing most of the heavy work in the winery and vineyards and Junoir is the inspirational force that makes it all happen.
The Basaltica boys have chosen both for their still and for their petnat, to always macerate Garganega for 1-3 weeks, extracting the spirit and soul of the grape from the skins and giving wines of bright expressiveness and real depth. Aside from their vineyards, they’re also contributing to giving value to their terroir through buying Garganega grapes at a higher price from farmers that work naturally. This to support natural sustainably farming, but also to encourage framers to continue to grow Garganega instead of ripping it up to farm Glera and sell to Prosecco producers which has been increasing in fashion the past years.
These wines are refreshing and have a beautiful minerality with nice fruit and high drinkability.
2020,2021 Ryo (Frizzante)
Soil: Volcanic basalt
Grape: Garganega
Appellation: IGT
Age of Vines: Planted 1980-2010
Vinification: 1 week of skin maceration before pressing and continuous fermentation in stainless steel tanks. Bottled in spring 2021 with an addition of concentrated, unfermented juice from the same vineyards to start a second fermentation. Undisgorged.
2020, 2021 Garydù (2021 Also in 20 L Key Keg)
Soil: Volcanic basalt
Grape: 60% Garganega 40% Durella
Appellation: IGT
Age of Vines: Planted 1980-2010
Vinification: 1 week of skin maceration before pressing, continuous fermentation and ageing in stainless steel tanks. Bottled in May the year following harvest.
2019 Zygo
Soil: Volcanic basalt
Grape: Garganega
Appellation: IGT
Age of Vines: Planted 1960
Vinification: 3 months of skin maceration in stainless steel tanks before pressing and ageing in old oak barrels. Bottled in September 2020.