Ciolli Damiano
The small winemaking reality of Damiano Ciolli is the creator of valuable expressions of the territory of Olevano Romano, a charming medieval municipality located just over 50 kilometers southeast of Rome. For generations, the Ciolli family has been dedicated to viticulture, with Damiano's grandfather and father selling bulk wine in the Capital. It was precisely with Damiano, in 2001, that the estate made that leap in quality that has led it today to be counted among the most interesting productive realities of Lazio. A key figure of the winery is Letizia Rocchi, a talented oenologist and Damiano's life partner who has collected winemaking experiences in Sauternes, Stellenbosch, and the state of Washington.
Damiano Ciolli has 6 hectares of vineyard area, distributed around the village of Olevano Romano between 300 and 450 meters above sea level. The vines are rooted in red volcanic soils, particularly rich in mineral salts. The core of Damiano and Letizia's production is the native grape variety Cesanese di Affile, alongside which other local varieties such as Cesanese Comune, Ottonese, and Trebbiano Verde (the latter constitutes a biotype of Verdicchio). The agronomic management follows the principles of organic farming and also involves the use of biodynamic preparations. The harvests are carried out by hand with careful selection of the bunches, which are then transferred to the winery where the fermentations occur spontaneously thanks to the action of indigenous yeasts. Only cement tanks and large oak barrels are used as winemaking vessels.
The labels produced by Damiano Ciolli are just three: the Cesanese di Olevano Romano Riserva ‘Cirsium’, the Cesanese di Olevano Romano Superiore ‘Silene’, and the ‘Botte 22’, a recently introduced white wine made from a rare blend of Trebbiano Verde and Ottonese. Among these, the flagship label is the ‘Cirsium’, a 100% Cesanese di Affile whose grapes come from a small vineyard planted in 1953 and trained as a bush vine. In general, the Cesanese of Ciolli are characterized by notable personality and expressive purity, with a crisp freshness that makes the drink absolutely irresistible.
The small winemaking reality of Damiano Ciolli is the creator of valuable expressions of the territory of Olevano Romano, a charming medieval municipality located just over 50 kilometers southeast of Rome. For generations, the Ciolli family has been dedicated to viticulture, with Damiano's grandfather and father selling bulk wine in the Capital. It was precisely with Damiano, in 2001, that the estate made that leap in quality that has led it today to be counted among the most interesting productive realities of Lazio. A key figure of the winery is Letizia Rocchi, a talented oenologist and Damiano's life partner who has collected winemaking experiences in Sauternes, Stellenbosch, and the state of Washington.
Damiano Ciolli has 6 hectares of vineyard area, distributed around the village of Olevano Romano between 300 and 450 meters above sea level. The vines are rooted in red volcanic soils, particularly rich in mineral salts. The core of Damiano and Letizia's production is the native grape variety Cesanese di Affile, alongside which other local varieties such as Cesanese Comune, Ottonese, and Trebbiano Verde (the latter constitutes a biotype of Verdicchio). The agronomic management follows the principles of organic farming and also involves the use of biodynamic preparations. The harvests are carried out by hand with careful selection of the bunches, which are then transferred to the winery where the fermentations occur spontaneously thanks to the action of indigenous yeasts. Only cement tanks and large oak barrels are used as winemaking vessels.
The labels produced by Damiano Ciolli are just three: the Cesanese di Olevano Romano Riserva ‘Cirsium’, the Cesanese di Olevano Romano Superiore ‘Silene’, and the ‘Botte 22’, a recently introduced white wine made from a rare blend of Trebbiano Verde and Ottonese. Among these, the flagship label is the ‘Cirsium’, a 100% Cesanese di Affile whose grapes come from a small vineyard planted in 1953 and trained as a bush vine. In general, the Cesanese of Ciolli are characterized by notable personality and expressive purity, with a crisp freshness that makes the drink absolutely irresistible.
