Suzanne Branciforte's Italian Grapevine

The road to Fattoria La Rivolta twists and turns through the Campania countryside, affording stunning views of that enormous mountain, Taburno, which lies on its back like an overstuffed matron reclining on a day bed.

Over the days I spent in the Sannio region, I was able to glimpse many views of the sleeping giant Taburno, and understand her protective role in the climate here.
Sunshine and blue skies accompanied me from nearby Benevento on the twisting mountain road to Torrecuso, which I’ve been wanting to see for years; the warm September day did not disappoint.

Revolutionary ideas and decisions must run in the blood of people from this area. Paolo Cotroneo, owner of La Rivolta, knows something about being a rebel and taking risks. A pharmacist from Naples, Paolo’s origins are in the same valley my great-grandparents left.

A return to his roots, and to the winemaking traditions of his family, led him to take the plunge into the magical, mysterious world of wine in 1997 and since then, he’s been concocting some of the best wines coming out of the Sannio appellation. Organic from the start. You say you want a revolution? Well, you know we all want to change the world!

Monolithic rocks mark the spot: you can feel that this land has been inhabited for millennia, and that there is something ancient and magnetic. Farmland, vineyards, sunshine… this is truly Campania Felix.
I met Paolo at a Bibenda event several years ago, and from that day and one sip of his award-winning wine, I knew I wanted to see this region with my own eyes (and nose and tongue!) Pandemics permitting, or even spurring us on to tick off all those things on our to-do lists, I finally made my way down to Campania, to the Taburno mountain, to the Sannio region, and to the winery La Rivolta.

Sometimes what is revolutionary is simply stripping away what has been added and going back to the basics: Paolo stripped away the stucco and revealed the old stones of the masseria farmhouse. He took out the Trebbiano and Montepulciano he found here and replanted 9 of the 60 hectares, 30 of which are under vine. Quality and not quantity is the focus of this winery. Maximum attention is paid traditional native grape varieties, including Paolo’s pride and joy, Coda di Volpe, which has experienced a revival in part thanks to the Cotroneo family’s insistence.
Unfortunately, in the 26 harvests Paolo has witnessed, there’s never been anything like the peronospora (also known as downy mildew) that this year brought. It has created a state of calamity in this area, with as much as 80% of the harvest being lost. The vendemmia, which was usually a feast, a party, a happy event, this year is quite sad, Paolo explains.

Look at how clean this place is! Of course, a pharmacist knows cleanliness is next to Godliness. In winemaking terms… divine wine!
There is science in his organic approach: he’s taken the best of what’s available in technology from Friuli to Sicily. A drone is used to check from above; there’s the ‘thermal coat’ or insulation that Italian producers are using for the steel tanks. He’s got a new nitrogen press from Bucher (see above). He calls himself a producer from the skins, as the salts, minerals, and aromas all reside there.

A lovely tasting room with vistas onto the vineyards awaited us.

Boy, that wall of honor sure is impressive!

At this tasting, I sipped three whites, a rosé and two reds. But I’d been lucky enough to taste two of Paolo’s wines in the previous days at other tastings. Those were the Aglianico del Taburno 2019 (classic cherry note, some plum jam, a spicy, smoky note) and the signature Coda di Volpe (great nose revealing grape, acacia, floral aromas, and on the palate citrusy acidity, chamomile and an herbal note).
So this is what I have to say about the wines:

The first, a Fiano 2022 vintage, showed its pineapple and green, unripe pear fruity appeal with a bitter almond aftertaste. In a word: delightful!
What followed was a superb Greco with a deep amber color, and an intense complex nose that was fruity, floral, mineral, herbaceous. On the palate, stewed apricot and saffron mix with a citrusy zest, a smooth honey feel, and great minerality and salinity. In a word: yum!
The third wine is a white blend of the three main native grapes: Greco, Fiano and Falanghina. Called Sogno di Rivolta (a dream of rebellion), it is a tribute to Paolo’s own revolutionary dream, where he uses barrique for the fermentation as well as ageing, using the bâtonnage technique. The nose here has great complexity: eucalyptus, exotic fruit, pineapple, pear drop, almost something suggesting late harvest. In a word: wow!
The rosé made from 100% Aglianico showed a deep, inviting cherry color. Paolo explained that the skins come out a split second before this wine turns red. On the nose, there is red fruit –  strawberry, red plum, cherries. Mouthwatering with good acidity, on the palate it is deep with a smoky note, velvet tannins, and a hint of bubble gum. Refreshing and yet structured, this is a wine that could accompany just about anything. An enchanting label, it is an homage to two important family figures, Paolo’s father and his son, who are watching from above in the hot-air balloon. In a word: surprising!

Here at Fattoria La Rivolta, the heavy-hitting reds are the pièce de résistance: the 2019 Simbiosi shows how Aglianico and Piedirosso live in symbiosis, creating a wine that has nothing to envy the best vintages of Piedmont or Tuscany. On the nose, plum, violet, rose petals; on the palate, jam, blackberry, black pepper, forest floor, velvet tannins, mouthwatering acidity. I’ll take two!
And the Terra di Rivolta 2016 is Paolo’s red dream. A balsamic note, chocolate, jammy fruit, black pepper, pine, tomato leaf, a vanilla note… this one’s got it all.

What a joy to be able to taste these wines with Paolo in Torrecuso at fabulous Fattoria La Rivolta. Disclaimer, since Italian Grapevine likes to be honest and transparent: Paolo is an old friend, but this was yours truly’s first visit to the Fattoria. Over the years, we’ve tasted La Rivolta’s wines at Vinitaly (as this picture gallery attests to!), and with great pleasure enjoyed these prize-winning vintages.

Hairstyles attest to the passage of time!
The road that led to Torrecuso was the one less traveled, and as Paolo Cotroneo can confirm, that has made all the difference.