Picinisco, Italy
The I Ciacca vineyard and winery in Picinisco, Italy, is a story of dreams and passion. It was home to the Di Ciacca family for over 500 years, then abandoned over 50 years ago – even removed from the map.
We were received by Cesidio, whose grandparents moved to Scotland at the turn of the 20th century along with many other families from the area. Indeed, after the economic and political problems resulting from the unification of Italy, nearly 40% of the southern Italian population left the ountry.
Following a successful career as a Scottish lawyer, Cesidio and his charming wife, Sofia, decided to return to the traditional family home and resuscitate their vineyard. Cesidio’s nostalgia along with his desire to regenerate the area is the driving force behind I Ciacca.
It’s not hard to understand their dream project. It is located in a wilderness landscape of stunning beauty. If you want to get away from it all, this is the place.
Picinisco, lies in the Val di Comino, halfway between Rome and Naples. At 725m, it is built on the slopes of one of the highest mountains in central Italy – Monte Meta – and the only one where on a clear day you can see the Adriatic and the Tyrrhenian Seas.
The region is renowned for its cheese, olive oil, fruit, and of course wine. Cesidio is continuing the family tradition of growing the unique indigenous white grape, Maturano.
While enjoying a delicious rustic lunch, we tasted two vintages (2017 and 2019) of Maturano dry white wine (see photos). I must say that it was surprisingly excellent. Wine enthusiastics have described it as “a vibrant, structured, medium bodied wine with notes of orange blossom, minerals and grapefruit”.
It is not surprising that the project for the restoration of I Ciacca won the Ursa prize in conjunction with the University of Milan in 2015 for “The Best project for a Better Tomorrow in Italy”.