From vineyards at the crossroads of Umbria, Lazio and Tuscany, we are thrilled to introduce the wines of Jacopo Battista’s Ajola.
In rolling hills outside Orvieto, Jacopo farms three and a half hectares of vines up to seventy five years old planted over sandy loam of volcanic origin. Facing east at some 440 metres above sea level, the situation lends a fresh, fragrant character to the wines. Recently, he has begun farming a further hectare and a half of Procanico and Ansonica from old vineyards closer to Lago di Bolsena, where the volcanic soils are made up of black sand and stones.
Having worked for many years for Gianmarco and Clementine of Le Coste, Jacopo started Ajola in 2012 born both out of a respect for the way the land was tended by the contadini of old and a desire to contribute to a new generation of regenerative farming in the area.
At time the vineyards had been neglected for decades and he spent several years nurturing the plants back to life, replanting and grafting from old massale cuttings. He has worked organically from the outset, treating the vines with just a small amount of copper and sulphur and preparing various herbal teas to boost their health.
In the cantina he experiments with various vessels to gain an understanding of the best way to express the region’s grapes and landscapes. Pure, nourishing and very much alive, his wines make for compelling drinking, offering a true taste of these hills and the wonderful grape varieties which call them home.
These new arrivals all come from the 2019 harvest, a balanced year where periods of rain and drought corresponded well with the needs of the vines. Around the time of harvest heavy rain forced him to pick earlier than expected, making for wines which are a little lighter in colour, structure and alcohol than normal. The result is a charming collection of light, perfumed wines that are drinking beautifully in their youth.
Jacopo’s wines are now available from Tutto a Casa