Piede Franco
The young Piede Franco winery is an interpreter of theenoic essence of Sulcis, particularly of the island of Sant'Antioco, a magnificent viticultural territory composed of sands and sea winds, where saplings of Carignano find a home. It is precisely the highly sandy matrix of the area that has allowed the preservation of free-range vine specimens, that is, not grafted onto American roots, as is the case for almost all viticulture worldwide. In fact, the strong sandy component of these soils counteracts phylloxera, a fearsome parasite that brought European viticulture to its knees in the late 1800s, preventing the aphid from spreading and attacking vine roots. It is precisely from this rare cultivation situation that Roberto Matzeu's estate, founded in 2015 within the municipality of Calasetta with the intention of enhancing the priceless oenological heritage of the area, takes its name.
The Sardinian Piede Franco estate is spread over just 5 hectares of vineyards, raised using the Latin sapling system on sandy soils, surrounded by Mediterranean scrub and lapped by the strong salty breezes of the Mistral. In addition to Carignano, the varietal symbol of Sulcis, Roberto Matzeu raises small percentages of the international grape varieties Syrah and Cabernet Franc, the result of an experiment that led the winemaker to plant these grapes on rootstock, after finding on a part of the vineyard a clay and trachyte component, unsuitable for the free-range cultivation of Carignano. In the winery, fermentations take place at a controlled temperature in stainless steel tanks, so as to enhance the wine's freshness and aromas, while tonneaux and French oak barriques are used for the subsequent aging phase, containers capable of adding further complexity.
The Piede Franco winery's production focuses on Carignano del Sulcis, a historic Sardinian appellation that Roberto Matzeu exalts through the 'Bellesa' Reserve, a red wine from free-range vines over 80 years old that stands out for its intense and authentic Mediterranean personality. Also very intriguing is the expression of 'Perdularju', a label born from the encounter between Carignano and international grape varieties.
The young Piede Franco winery is an interpreter of theenoic essence of Sulcis, particularly of the island of Sant'Antioco, a magnificent viticultural territory composed of sands and sea winds, where saplings of Carignano find a home. It is precisely the highly sandy matrix of the area that has allowed the preservation of free-range vine specimens, that is, not grafted onto American roots, as is the case for almost all viticulture worldwide. In fact, the strong sandy component of these soils counteracts phylloxera, a fearsome parasite that brought European viticulture to its knees in the late 1800s, preventing the aphid from spreading and attacking vine roots. It is precisely from this rare cultivation situation that Roberto Matzeu's estate, founded in 2015 within the municipality of Calasetta with the intention of enhancing the priceless oenological heritage of the area, takes its name.
The Sardinian Piede Franco estate is spread over just 5 hectares of vineyards, raised using the Latin sapling system on sandy soils, surrounded by Mediterranean scrub and lapped by the strong salty breezes of the Mistral. In addition to Carignano, the varietal symbol of Sulcis, Roberto Matzeu raises small percentages of the international grape varieties Syrah and Cabernet Franc, the result of an experiment that led the winemaker to plant these grapes on rootstock, after finding on a part of the vineyard a clay and trachyte component, unsuitable for the free-range cultivation of Carignano. In the winery, fermentations take place at a controlled temperature in stainless steel tanks, so as to enhance the wine's freshness and aromas, while tonneaux and French oak barriques are used for the subsequent aging phase, containers capable of adding further complexity.
The Piede Franco winery's production focuses on Carignano del Sulcis, a historic Sardinian appellation that Roberto Matzeu exalts through the 'Bellesa' Reserve, a red wine from free-range vines over 80 years old that stands out for its intense and authentic Mediterranean personality. Also very intriguing is the expression of 'Perdularju', a label born from the encounter between Carignano and international grape varieties.
