LAZIO

Strade Vigne del Sole, was founded in 1704 by Paolo Cugini. Today, the winery is still in the care of Cugini family seven generations later by Alessandro and Antonio Cugini. The winery's goal has been to recover the local varietals of the Lazio region to produce wines that have not been in existence for hundreds of years. So far, 72 different grape varieties have been recovered. The 62 acre estate of Strade del Sole is located south of Rome in the Castelli Romani area.

Pendolino (Trellising System) - Strade Vigne del Sole has patented a their own system of trellising for their vineyards called Pendolino "Cugini". Each plant in a row of vines will have only one branch containing grapes twined around one single wire that is place at 1.5 meters from the ground. As the branch grows it becomes a kind of pendulum as the grapes mature and become heavier on the branch. The advantages to this system enables the grapes to have better exposure to the sun and aid in health of the plants.




Strade Vigne del Sole
About the Alba Rosa grape: This ancient vine adorned the gardens and walls of Imperial Rome. It was extolled by Roman poets and philosophers as being a symbol of pleasure and good living.

A dry, exotic-tasting, off pink wine made 100% from Alba Rosa, an ancient grape variety indigenous to the area around Rome. Like Nebbiolo, the wine’s color typically contains a brownish tinge. Round and smooth in texture, this is a killer rosato, reminiscent of plums, strawberries and spices – delicious any time of the year.


RECENT REVIEW

“The grape variety is disclosed only as "pink," but it's a serious rosé wine, salmon to red-brick in color, with crisp and intense aromas and flavors of red berries accented with fennel.”

30 Second Wine Advisor – Robin Garr - May 2006


Region: Latium (Lazio)
Classification: Lazio IGT
Area of Production: Grottaferrata (RM)
Grape Varieties: 100% Alba Rosa
Soil: Stratified soil of volcanic origin
Average Age of Vines: 25 years
Trellising System: Pendolino "Cugini"
Spacing of Plants: 1.50 x 2.20 m
Production per Acre: 1.56 tons
Vinification Technique: The must is kept at a constant temperature of 23°C for 15-20 days.
Maturation: Two weeks in stainless steel
Total Acidity: 5.5 g/l
Residual Sugar: 0
PH: N/A
Alcohol: 14%


Kadrai fills your nose and palate with an enticing, intriguingly unique suggestion of herbs, pears and tropical fruits. Dry, medium to full in body, it’s one of a host of wines made from grapes grown on this cantina’s living museum of ancient grape varieties near Rome.

"This is a clear, rich gold-color wine, with intriguing aromas of honey and chestnuts leading into white fruit and butterscotch flavors, soft at first but drying out to clean acidity in the finish. Oxidative in a positive sense, it's oddly reminiscent of a fine old White Burgundy."

30 Second Wine Advisor - Robin Garr - May 2005


Region: Latium (Lazio)
Classification: Lazio IGT
Area of Production: Grottaferrata (RM)
Grape Varieties: 50% Malvasia Rossa & 50% Albana dei Castelli Romani
Soil: Stratified soil of volcanic origin
Average Age of Vines: 25 years
Trellising System: Pendolino "Cugini"
Spacing of Plants: 1.50 x 2.20 m
Production per Acre: 1.56 tons
Vinification Technique: The must is kept at a constant temperature of 23°C for 15-20 days.
Maturation: Two weeks in stainless steel
Total Acidity: 5.5 g/l
Residual Sugar: 0
PH: N/A
Alcohol: 14%

Total Cases Produced: 1,660

Big and silky smooth on the palate, this late harvest dessert wine sings of bananas, tropical fruit and flowers. Touched by botrytis; it’s sweet – but not excessively so. Made 100% of Malvasia Rossa, a white berry, the skin of which reddens as it matures.


"Clear gold in color, its inital aroma impact is floral and herbaceous, perfumed aromatics and a whiff of damp hay, with an elusive note in the background; then suddenly, you recognize that back note as bananas, right off the bunch, true and exact and very, very strange. Soft and luscious flavors are gently sweet, although it's closer to a rich moelleux style than a true dessert wine."

30 Second Wine Advisor - Robin Garr - May 2005

Region: Latium (Lazio)
Classification: Lazio IGT
Area of Production: Grottaferrata (RM)
Grape Varieties: 100% Malvasia Rossa
Soil: Stratified soil of volcanic origin
Average Age of Vines: 25 years
Trellising System: Pendolino "Cugini"
Spacing of Plants: 1.50 x 2.20 m
Production per Acre: 1.34 tons
Vinification Technique: Harvest is done November when the grapes are slightly attacked by botrytis. The production of this wine is very dependent on the occurrence of both the climatic conditions and the presence of Botrytis Cinerea.
Maturation: Two weeks in November in stainless steel.
Total Acidity: 5.5 g/l
Residual Sugar: 0.10 g/l
PH: N/A
Alcohol: 12.5%

Total Cases Produced: 830

Made from 40% Tor de’ Passeri (one of a host of rare, ancient Roman varieties grown on the estate near Rome) and 60% Sangiovese Nobile (an indigenous Sangiovese clone), this dry red is richly suggestive of dark berries, anise and licorice – in short, absolutely delicious!

“This deep reddish-purple wine blends 40 percent of the indigenous Tor di Passeri grape in with Sangiovese. Intense, perfumed and grapey, its overall impact focuses on mixed warm spices. Freaky, bizarre ... and delicious.”

30 Second Wine Advisor – Robin Garr May 2005

Region: Latium (Lazio)
Classification: Lazio IGT
Area of Production: Grottaferrata (RM)
Grape Varieties: 60% Sangiovese Nobile & 40% Tor De’ Passeri
Soil: Stratified soil of volcanic origin
Average Age of Vines: 30 years
Trellising System: Pendolino "Cugini"
Spacing of Plants: 1.50 x 2.20 m
Production per Acre: 2.23 – 2.68 tons
Vinification Technique: Six months in barriques, then rests in stainless steel.
Maturation: Two weeks in October in stainless steel.
Total Acidity: 5.0 g/l
Residual Sugar: 0.02 g/l
PH: N/A
Alcohol: 14%

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