"Enotria" (the land of wine). That's what the ancient Greeks had to say about the wild deep Southern Italian region Calabria. This region provides the toe to the Italian peninsula and is home of the indigenous variety Gaglioppo that was brought by the earliest Greek colonizers. A magic and untouched landscape more akin to the wilderness of inland Greece and Northern Africa, stupendously Mediterranean. CIRO' is the most important and historical wine denomination f this region. Legend and now archeology has it that the wine of Ciro' was offered to ancient Olympic champions in Greece 3000 years ago. The winery Fattoria San Francesco is nested in a XVI century monastery where vineyards and olive groves were planted. In Italy the winery boasts "cult status" amongst Somms and wine industry peers, having long been considered one of the most traditional and classic producers of Calabrian wine. From those vineyards, the wines from the Fattoria San Francesco are still produced, and the monastery is the center of the agricultural activity. Gallioppo is the most important red wine grape in Calabria and Greco the white. The Iuzzolini family has recently taken over the winery and renovated as well as improved production on all levels. 12 days maceration, selected yeasts, brief passage in used French oak barriques. Mixed array of estate vineyards on white clay in the CIRO DOC. Organically farmed. Superbly classic example of a Calabrian red. Lovely soft and ripe fruit with exotic dark flowers and spice.