Corragio 2019 (Orange), Podere Sassi 12%

Dry, clementines, crisp clean finish 750ml Bottle

Podere Sassi sits in a beautiful little spot on the border with Umbria, overlooking the lower valley of the Sabina region. ‘Podere Sassi’ means the ‘Sassi family farm’, from which many of the ingredients are sourced for their very own bakery and restaurant in Rome, Panificio Nazzareno. This is postcard Italy, a place of hilltop villages, medieval castles and tiny vineyard plots - and a place where the grape Ciliegiolo is king. Since 2000, led by Leonardo, the Sassis have also looked to revive the vineyards of their family home and have recently planted 3 hectares but these vines are not yet ready. For now, they are relying on an old friend and neighbour for the fruit. They only produce 15,000 bottles in total of their four handmade wines that are as natural as natural can be. ‘Corragio’ of course means ‘courage’ and this wine speaks of the will of Leonardo and his family to take the plunge into making natural wines that are free from flavour-fixing additives, preservatives and synthetic chemicals. It’s an endeavour which can be pretty risky for any winemaker but then everything made with risk and courage tastes different in all the best ways.