Ciro Biondi

The Alberello

Words OF Ciro Biondi

The alberello is a way to train the vines here on Etna, probably since the Greeks or the Romans. We use a chestnut pole like this one, and the vines then grow on it and it will support all the branches and it is well-ventilated. So, there is no barrier and you can access all the vines and not just the row with the wires in the middle. Of course, it’s more expensive, but I want to believe that is the best way to make a quality wine.

Alberello on Etna, on a chestnut pole, is something that is part of the culture or the landscape of Etna so it should be saved. The other day I had a funny experience where there was an agronomist talking about ways of training vines and he said, “Oh, Guyot (spalliera), whatever, but I will never suggest to plant alberello because it’s too expensive. You don’t find the people to work with.” And I was shocked. So, when it was my turn to reply I said, “Look, I don’t care to spend more cents to make the alberello in my vineyard, but because these things are alberello I will be marketing, so, at the end, I will get more by putting this in front of the people.

Look, you buy a bottle of my wine. This is the way we’re doing it. We keep this land, we are gardeners. First of all, we are to keep this natural and this beautiful place here with terraces, you cannot just destroy it to save a few cents per bottle, I mean, wine is a luxury thing. You can live without wine, but if you had to drink a wine, you must drink a good wine with history and quality.

BUY THE WINE

De Ciro Biondi Etna Bianco Pianta 2019

Captivating white wine with refreshing citrus flavors, velvety texture, and versatile pairing options.

2019

$48.99

Out of stock

About

High-quality wine has been in Ciro Biondi’s family since the 17th century, proven early on by his grandfather, Cirino, who won awards in Italy and abroad: Casal Monferrato 1913, Paris 1914, Lyons 1914, Cuneo 1914, and Milano 1914. At that point, Biondi wine was already known for its quality throughout Europe and the United States. Enchanted by Etna wine culture, Ciro grew up crushing grapes with his feet and loving every minute spent in the vineyard just outside his childhood home. Who wouldn’t, among volcanic craters of alberello-type vines with an immaculate view of coastal Catania?

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