Ceraudo

The Ceraudo farm is located in the foothills of Italy, region of Calabria, near Strongoli Marina - known as "Petelia" in Roman times - close to the town of Crotone, home of Pythagoras. The amazingly well-located company comprises 20 hectares of vineyards, 37 hectares of olive groves, and 3 hectares devoted to citrus trees and vegetable gardens, a textbook example of biodiversity and sustainability. The Owner, Roberto Ceraudo, is a pioneer of organic farming in this region. He manages the domain together with his three children Susy, Giuseppe, and Caterina. The latter is also an excellent chef in the restaurant "Dattilo" awarded with one Michelin star, which, together with the accommodation, is located within the walls of the Azienda Agricola Ceraudo.

From an organoleptic point of view, the Ceraudo wines are all very elegant and are distinguished by their complexity, remarkable consistency, and aromatic persistence. The hills of the vineyards are close to the sea, the texture of the land and the specific microclimate ensure wines that are fresh and at the same time permeated with aromas.

The sun, fruit, and flowers are reflected in the character of these wines. They reflect the unique emotions of a journey through this part of Italy.
Ceraudo vinifies the following grape varieties: Gaglioppo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Greco nero, and Magliocco in red and rosé. Pecorella, Greco bianco, Mantonico and Chardonnay in white. There are 8 wines: Grisara, Dattilo, Petraro, Nanà, Imyr, Petelia, Grayasusi etichette argento, Grayasusi etichetta rame.
CERAUDO is organic, certified since 1990, with manual harvesting, natural fermentation without the use of selected yeasts or enzymes, with an annual production of up to 70,000 bottles.

Climatically, the region of Calabria is characterized by average annual temperatures of around 17°-25°C. The average annual rainfall is about 700 mm. The presence of sea has a positive effect on the thermal anomalies, all in favor of the aromatic gradual ripening of the grapes. The vineyard extends over 20 hectares, the yield of which varies between 3500 and 7000 kg per Ha, depending on the kind of wine. In total, the annual production is about 50 000 kg per year.
The cultivation techniques applied in the vineyard are constantly evolving. The chosen system is a Cordone Sporonato. The vineyard was built without excavating or remodeling the surfaces, following the ancient method of grafting in the field, which allows preserving the rich biodiversity through a careful selection of the best varieties. Soil management includes winter and spring grasses, sometimes composed of herbs specially selected for green manure followed by their processing, which is essential for aerating the soil and thus creating an ideal environment.

The production load per vine is always very low thanks to the use of low-yielding biotypes and thinning operations carried out at the beginning of ripening. Pruning is carried out only by hand. In the vineyards, in addition to the weather huts, there are rose gardens. Which helps to control the humidity and temperature. The manual harvest takes place in the early hours of the day for the red wines, at night for the whites and rosés. The grapes are selected directly on the plant. The harvested grapes are processed in the cellar, and the fermentation of the must takes place at a controlled temperature. No enzymes of any kind, oenological tannins, or selected yeasts are used: only native yeasts. In the cellar, all Ceraudo wines are allowed to mature in peace underground and with used oak barriques from the Allier forests.