Colli di Castefranci was born from the union of two brothers-in-law, Gregorio Luciano and Colucci Gerardo both are now in their fifties. Both grow up to families of grape growers in and around “Irpinia”, today’s province of Avellino, and in 2002 founded the new winery. The goal was combining tradition and new technology in order to produce wines that express their true varietal characteristics and unique diverse terroirs. Helping to achieve this goal is winemaker Carmine Valentino, who’s becoming an important expert in the local wines from the region. Mr. Valentino has been chosen as “winemaker of the year” in Campania by “Duemila Vini”, Published by Gambro Rosso.
The team at Colli di Castelfranci believe that good wine is produced in the vineyards, not in the cellar, and for that reason they invest most of their time and attention to the care of their soil, vines, and grapes. They follow a simple philosophy of minimizing the use of pesticides by “lotta integrata” approach which means, fighting parasites and disease in a natural way, using biological techniques & predators.
The estate consists of about 25 hectares under vines, divided to small plots scattered among hills and valleys in 8 different DOC’s & DOCG’s. The age of the vines varies from plot to plot, some vineyards are centuries-old, pre-phylloxera, others are younger plantings. For that same reason, the soils are heterogeneous.
The Greco di Tufo, about 7 hectaresof 20 years old vines are planted on clay and stony soil, in close proximity to sulfur quarries, which one can find trace in the wines.
Fiano vineyards consists of 3 hectares young vines near the town of Lapio, at about 500 msl; 2 hectares in the town of Castelfranci, at about 600 msl, closet to the cellar; and about 1.5 hectares in the Fiano di Avellino DOCG at about 500 msl. The soils are mixture of clay with stony elements and minerals.
Aglianico is grown mainly on clay and loam soils, total of around 15 hectares in the town of Castelfranci, some of the vines are between 50-100 years old with new planting averaging 10-15 years old.
The Falanghina, about 5 hectares, is grown on chalky, clay soil in the town of Guardia Sanframondi (Sannino Falanghina DOC). The vines are 25 years old in average, and planted at above 600 msl), the area is very hilly, scattered with almond and oak trees, the climate is continental; cold winters, abundant rain and extreme temperature swing between day and night, even in the summer.