The Decugnano estate, nestled outside the medieval town of Orvieto, has long been associated with winemaking. Records dating back to 1212 confirm the presence of monks dedicated to cultivating local vines. In 1973, it came into the hands of the Barbi family, wine merchants since the 1920s, whose work elevated the quality of the estate's wines to a new level and earned them international recognition for the Orvieto Classico DOC Protected Designation of Origin.
Mare Antico is the inland sea that once rippled where vineyards now lie at an altitude of 300 meters. The sea has since become a fossilized layer in the soil. A perfect terroir for this pure, mineral wine (think of the fossilized soils of Chablis!). Only the finest fruit is used for the unique blend that is Mare Antico. This Mare Antico is made from 55% Grechetto, 25% Vermentino, 15% Chardonnay, and 5% Procanico grapes. The grapes were carefully selected and hand-harvested, yielding 5,000 kg per hectare. Upon arrival at the winery, they are destemmed, cooled, and pressed. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks for 15-20 days at 14-16 degrees Celsius. Five percent is fermented in new French oak, without malolactic fermentation. The wine is aged for six months in the bottle before release.
The Mare Antico recently received the highest score in the 2019 Gambero Rosso: 3 glasses! James Suckling also awarded it 90 points. On the nose, this wine has a fresh bouquet of apple, lime, and minerals. Plenty of minerality with a salty note. Peach, lemon, lemon peel. Flint. It can easily age for years.
