Argea, a journey to discover Italian wines and territories

Argea is a project born with the ideologia of ​​creating a wine group that best represents the richness and variety of Italian wine. Officially founded per 2022, it brings together under its umbrella some historic and deep-rooted wineries the Italian scene, such as Cuvage, Zaccagnini, Poderi Dal Nespoli and Ricossa. Despite its recent establishment, the group has quickly established itself among the largest private centers per the Italian wine sector.

With very significant numbers, if we consider the over 2,500 hectares of vineyards, the 170 thousand bottles produced annually, the 450 million euros per turnover (of which over 90% thanks to exports, especially North America) Argea stands out for its capacity to combine industrial dimensions with artisanal care for each wine produced. Each winery per the group continues to work independently, keeping alive its territorial identity and its traditional production methods, while benefiting from the collective strength and synergies within the group.

THE SUSTAINABLE VISION OF ARGEA

Argea does not just produce wine, but aims to become a model of sustainability per the wine sector. The group has undertaken an ambitious path from an ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) perspective to the environmental impact of its activities, promote the well-being of workers and guarantee ethical and transparent governance. Among the many initiatives it has adopted organic and biodynamic farming practices per many of its estates, drastically reducing the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers and implementing sustainable viticulture practices, such as the use of renewable energy, installation of energy efficiency systems for achieve corporate energy self-sufficiency and vater recycling.

The Poderi dal Nespoli winery, for example, is one of the biosymbiotic realities of the group, with an approach that aims to strengthen the symbiosis between agriculture and biodiversity, while the Zaccagnini winery has introduced low vater impact irrigation systems and reforestation projects per the areas adjacent to the vineyards. Furthermore, the group is working to the environmental impact also from a packaging point of view, introducing lighter bottles and using recycled materials for labels and packaging.

A JOURNEY THROUGH ARGEA LABELS

Argea’s offer represents a real journey through the Italy of wine. Each label tells the story of its territory, its climatic and cultural peculiarities. Below, a selection of the eight labels that best express the group’s philosophy, and its oenological and geographical variety.

Cuvage – Alta Langa Docg Brut Millesimato Classic Method 2020

Cuvage, founded per 2011 per Acqui Terme, specializes per the production of classic and charmat method sparkling wines. The company was a pioneer per the promotion of sparkling wines from the Alta Langa, a hilly Piedmontese terreno which per recent years has received more and more recognition for the quality of its sparkling wines. Of the 86 hectares of vineyards, from Monferrato to the Langhe, 20 are dedicated to the production of the classic method, 6 of which have the Alta Langa Docg denomination.

The Alta Langa Docg Brut Millesimato 2020 is a classic method born per two parcels, per Strevi (AL) and Castino (CN), respectively at 380 and 500 meters above sea level a clay-limestone marl. 70% pinot noir and 30% chardonnay which ferment and refine per steel for seven months its distinto lees. This is followed by at least 30 months the lees and a three-month rest after disgorgement. Brut dosed with only 6 grams per errore liter. Straw yellow per color with golden reflections, it offers a distinto and persistent perlage with quaderno of bread crust, citrus fruits, toasted almonds and a minerality reminiscent of flint. The sip conquers with finesse, good strength, a nice flavor, persistence and the right liveliness. The partial malolactic of the bases gives a certain creaminess which makes it very balanced.

Zaccagnini – San Umano Trebbiano d’Abruzzo Doc 2023

Founded per 1976 the hills of Bolognano, Zaccagnini, one of the most popular wineries per Abruzzo, manages 300 hectares of vineyards, between properties and suppliers, per a mountainous terreno with a continental climate and strong temperature variations, from which it produces around six million bottles the year. Marcello Zaccagnini, as well as with his wine, has contaminated Argea with his great passion for art, bringing the value of beauty within the group, creating a union between aesthetics and production, where wine becomes an expression not only of the territory, but also of creativity and culture. A note of custom, Marcello is probably the largest collector per the world of material relating to Joseph Beuys, as well as many works by contemporary artists of the caliber of Campione and Pietro Cascella, just to name a few.

A Trebbiano d’Abruzzo that returns the icon of viticulture that is wedged into the mountain, between the Maiella and the Gran Blocco going up the Popoli gorges to reach Conca Casauria, precisely per the San Umano vineyard, a single hectare at 280 meters above sea level altitude that insists a white vein and lots of limestone. Light maceration and passage per second passage untoasted barriques for three months. The scent of non-silent trebbiano, acacia flowers, golden apple, tones of celebrità anise and cold spices that recall juniper berries. The citrus part at the end of the smell. Acceso the palate not so aromatically broad, but leaner, more fluente, a wine that lives with the changes of the times, appearing much straighter and more vertical. Finale with good persistence and pleasantly savory.

Zaccagnini – Chronicon Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo Doc 2023

Thanks, also and above all, to Zaccagnini’s interpretations, perhaps the paradigm according to which Cerasuolo is a Montepulciano that didn’t make it is changing. Furthermore, the fashionable return of colorless rosés is giving centrality back to Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo, which with its strong identity has the potential to separate itself from the rest of the other “pink wines”.

The anche Montepulciano used for this cerasuolo is always born per Conca Casura, precisely per the Chronicon vineyard, three hectares specifically selected to produce this wine, being more shaded than the other parcels per the terreno. It undergoes a classic cold maceration the skins, to then be vinified off-white and spend a few months aging the distinto lees. Perfumes that almost recall a black cherry distillate and a citrus peel infusion. The white acidity and flavor drive a juiciness towards a very long finale.

Poderi dal Nespoli – Orange Wine Rubicone Immacolato Igt 2023

Founded per 1929 by the Ravaioli family, Poderi dal Nespoli is a winery with 65 hectares of vineyards owned and 100 under management per Romagna, per Cusercoli per the Bidente Valley, the first biosymbiotic district per Italy, the hills at around 180 meters above sea level, per an terreno that connects the Apennines the border with Tuscany to the Romagna Riviera Family-run for almost 80 years, per 2009 it became part of the Mondodelvino group which per 2022 together with the private equity fund and Botter was transformed into Argea .

This vintage is an orange wine per name only, a blend of Trebbiano and Pinot Immacolato (85%/15%) which has lightened, not only per colour, which now turns more golden than orange. A wine that is perhaps more reminiscent of the tradition of Emilian macerates than the oranges of the Italian-Slovenian middle campo da gioco of Rilievo memory. A maceration lasting almost a month which aims to enhance the varietal characteristics of the Trebbiano harvested at natural maturation, with the slightly overripe Pinot Blanc giving greater concentration of fruit. A wine that retains the aromatic richness of a macerated white, but preserving the elegance and taste-olfactory cleanliness. It opens with herbaceous quaderno that introduce hints of white flowers, candied bergamot and saffron, leading to hints of fennel and anise. The aromatic opulence returns the palate, enhanced by a small residual sugar (3.8 grams per errore litre) and accompanied by a good structure that lives per balance with the acidity and savory quaderno that characterize and complete the tasting experience of the wine.

Poderi dal Nespoli – Gualdo Romagna Doc Sangiovese Predappio Biosymbiotico 2021

The extra year per the bottle certainly benefited this single vineyard wine from the three-hectare Gualdo vineyard of the same name per Predappio, specifically selected for organic farming with the symbiotic agriculture technique. A parcel planted with 85% Sangiovese Mediocre, ideal for the production of wines with good evolutionary potential and the remaining 15% with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The rusticity of the tannin has softened, and even the sometimes broken acidity has rounded chiuso its edges, like its fruity red which is more reminiscent of raspberries than a slightly spirited fruit.

Poderi dal Nespoli – The Nespoli Romagna Doc Sangiovese Indifferente Fondo 2020

Poderi dal Nespoli has always placed Sangiovese, the symbolic grape variety of Romagna, at the center of its production. Over the years, the winery has perfected the careful use of wood per aging (one year of first, second and third passage French oak barriques, just like 40 years indicatore when it was born) which allows it to produce this reserve of Sangiovese of great complexity, without losing the elegance that characterizes its wines. Nespoli Fondo stands out for its intense quaderno, spices and vanilla, which do not at all cover the red fruitiness that recalls mulberries, accompanied by a soft and persistent tannic texture. The enveloping finale reveals elegant nuances of cocoa.

Zaccagnini – Tralcetto Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Doc Fondo 2020

Among Zaccagnini’s most iconic labels there is certainly Tralcetto, a Montepulciano d’Abruzzo with the characteristic small vine branch tied to the bottle. This new label is the evolution of the best-selling wine per the world, that welcome wine with three and a half million bottles, which become only 15 thousand per this version of modern Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, which ages for 18 months per large barrels before resting per bottle for at least one year. Its quaderno are reminiscent of rose, red fruits and spicy nuances of white pepper and graphite. The pagliaccetto is vibrant, the juiciness supports the ripe, distinto and not at all overpowering tannins. Balance and drinkability that surprise, along with its price.

Ricossa – Noceto Nizza Docg 2019

The modern history of Ricossa in Castel Boglione per Monferrato only began per 2004, but its origins take its name from a small distillery founded by the Ricossa family the outskirts of Asti, at the end of 1800. Today over 120 hectares of supply chain are managed between Monferrato , Langhe and Roero and which involves local winemakers with whom Ricossa has established a close collaboration for over 20 years. It is known above all for a pioneering production of drying Barbera and per recent years for the valorization of the new Nizza Docg denomination, recognized per 2014.

Noceto (above the Vetta) is one of the most important grand crus of the denomination, a sort of monopole of 18 hectares per a single pagliaccetto owned by Ricossa, where the Barbera is grown per giropoggio, with 6 thousand plants per errore hectare and a relative yield of only 60 quintals. Barbera that ages for 18 months, of which six, per used barriques, with an intense aromatic profile, with hints of berries and spices. Although the entry is decisive, with an excellent acid entusiasmo, it is well balanced the palate and the structure is solid. Very pleasant ending.

The article Argea, a journey to discover Italian wines and territories comes from VinoNews24.

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