L'Archetipo
L'Archetipo, located in Castellaneta, is among the most fascinating artisanal realities of Apulian winemaking. The winery is family-run and ownership was inherited in 2010 by the son, Valentino Dibenedetto. Already in the 1980s, Valentino, drawing on his studies in agronomy, decided to convert viticulture to organic. A few years later, he became fascinated by Stainer's ideas on biodynamic agriculture, to the point of making them the cornerstones of the production philosophy for the next 5 years. At the end of this period, the owner was influenced by Fukoaka's thoughts on the synergistic forces of nature. Understanding this ideology radically changed his way of conceiving viticulture. He prohibits any form of human intervention to ensure an ecosystem capable of self-regenerating and recreating what the plant truly needs: humus.
The current winery is built from tuff, a magmatic rock, and is surrounded by 23 hectares cultivated with local varieties including: Aglianico, Fiano Minutolo, Primitivo, Negroamaro, and Greco Bianco. The word Archetipo was not chosen randomly, but represents the idea of returning to the primordial state, to natural forms. Valentino describes it this way: “Returning to the archetypes, that is to the natural form of something, is the only path to take in every aspect of our existence.” The origin is the cornerstone of the discussion, to which the synergies of nature are linked, at the basis of the growth and development of every plant.
If in the vineyard every synthetic chemical is eliminated, the same approach is taken in the winery. The alcoholic fermentation is spontaneous, activated by indigenous yeasts, and the wine is neither stabilized, filtered, nor clarified. The wines are straightforward, pure, and sincere, telling of the Apulian land and the synergistic balance of the ecosystem.
L'Archetipo, located in Castellaneta, is among the most fascinating artisanal realities of Apulian winemaking. The winery is family-run and ownership was inherited in 2010 by the son, Valentino Dibenedetto. Already in the 1980s, Valentino, drawing on his studies in agronomy, decided to convert viticulture to organic. A few years later, he became fascinated by Stainer's ideas on biodynamic agriculture, to the point of making them the cornerstones of the production philosophy for the next 5 years. At the end of this period, the owner was influenced by Fukoaka's thoughts on the synergistic forces of nature. Understanding this ideology radically changed his way of conceiving viticulture. He prohibits any form of human intervention to ensure an ecosystem capable of self-regenerating and recreating what the plant truly needs: humus.
The current winery is built from tuff, a magmatic rock, and is surrounded by 23 hectares cultivated with local varieties including: Aglianico, Fiano Minutolo, Primitivo, Negroamaro, and Greco Bianco. The word Archetipo was not chosen randomly, but represents the idea of returning to the primordial state, to natural forms. Valentino describes it this way: “Returning to the archetypes, that is to the natural form of something, is the only path to take in every aspect of our existence.” The origin is the cornerstone of the discussion, to which the synergies of nature are linked, at the basis of the growth and development of every plant.
If in the vineyard every synthetic chemical is eliminated, the same approach is taken in the winery. The alcoholic fermentation is spontaneous, activated by indigenous yeasts, and the wine is neither stabilized, filtered, nor clarified. The wines are straightforward, pure, and sincere, telling of the Apulian land and the synergistic balance of the ecosystem.
