info about producer: Tenute Chiaromonte

Tenute Chiaromonte, Acquaviva delle Fonti, Bari, Puglia, Italy.

A story starting from the past, an unforgotten passion becoming a constantly evolving project that lives and interprets our territory: Chiaromonte believes in the authenticity of the land as a warranty of quality.

The story of the Tenute Chiaromonte starts in 1826, a few years after the official identification of the grape variety by Indellicati. Everything starts with only 3 hectares of vineyard and olive grove, grown by Nicola's grandparents. His family look at the small vineyard as a social ransom, a way to improve his financial situation: the few Riserva and Barbatto vine shoots are a real treasure for the family, the result of hard sacrifices in addition to the daily work routine.

Nicola Chiaromonte, the current representative of the last generation of winemaker, starts working when he was a child and he learned by doing under the assistance of his parents and grandparents. In his adulthood, after an initial period in which he rejected all that concern countrylife, he peremptorily felt the call of his origins, he returned to Earth and enlarges his Estate. Today is the owner and the winemaker, he continues on managing his company following the guidance of his ancestors and joining it with modern technologies in a perfect mix of tradition and innovation: the company has 32 hectares including cherry orchard, olive grove and vineyard of Alberello Pugliese ( little Apulian tree), next to the sapling old vineyards some new espalier plants are now grown up, strictly organically.

The first professional vinifications took place in the family ancient wine cellar, situated in the suggestive old town centre of Acquaviva delle Fonti: the process trasformed into a joyful day, a festive occasion in which also the neighborhood was involved.

In '98 the first important bottles of Muro Sant'Angelo were produced: from then on our company is considered one of the best Primitivo winemakers, gaining the “Three Glasses” for Gambero Rosso, the “Eccellenza” for the guidebook of the Italian newspaper L'Espresso and many others international acknowledgment.

His past certainly has a major role in the philosophy of production, but has never inhibited his innovative spirit, causing it to be continued research and experimentation on the types of cultivation, fermentation methods and temperatures, traditional winemaking techniques and modern types of wood and age of the barrels.

Chiaromonte believes in respect for the area by focusing on excellence for its grapes : every vineyard is cultivated in the proper way in a close relation to the characteristics of the soil; the handmade harvest warrants the quality of selected grapes without creating any damage to the grapevine

One of these varieties is cultivated and used for the creation of the five company brands: Primitivo, in a limited quantity to assure a high-quality standard. Primitivo is accompanied by another single-grape wine from Fiano Minutolo, an ancient native grape variety which gives an intense and perfumed white wine.

info > tenutechiaromonte.com

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