The best winery in Italy is in Ischia: after winning two awards at Vinitaly 2019, Vera, one of the owners, tells us how it is to work in a place that is beautiful and difficult at the same time
Among the steep terrains and the crystalline coasts of the island of Ischia, there is a place where land and sea meet. In this place the winery Cantine Antonio Mazzella, appointed as the winery of the year at Vinitaly 2019, proudly practices heroic viticulture, whose fruits gave life to the Ischia DOC Biancolella “Vigna del Lume” 2018: the best white wine with a score of 95 out of 100. Vera Mazzella, one of the company’s owners, talks about her activity: a novel rather than a simple job.
How was your company born?
“My grandfather started as a farmer in 1940. After him my father took over, we belong to the third generation that manages the winery since the 2000s”.
What are the main difficulties of heroic viticulture?
“The first is to fight against an impervious territory: clearly the roads are not easy to access and the vineyards are all on small steep terraces. The second difficulty is to find workers: there is no generational change. Leading a vineyard becomes difficult if you have a lot of land”.
Instead, what are the satisfactions that this type of viticulture gives you?
“They are so many. Because the product that comes out of the fatigue is all distributed. Nevertheless, selling is the least satisfying thing. The treasure lies in the taste factor of the wine that you produce. The greatest gratifications come from the passionate element “.
What are the main characteristics of your wines?
“They are very mineral, because there is a volcanic soil here. They have a good flavour compared to the national counterparts. This is because they are born at 70 meters above sea level. The aromas of the Mediterranean maquis represent another important characteristic: you feel like you’re in a flower garden once you get in the vineyard, because pollinations that occur in May are on all the maquis flowers. Our vineyards are on an area of the island that is not touristic. So we work on a virgin land: a Heaven on Earth”.
