Traclò - Lanò

The vineyards of the Traclò brothers, Bruno and Carmelo, are located in Bova, the heart of Calabria. These sites sit over 700 meters above sea level between the Aspromonte mountain massif and the Ionian sea. The vineyards, on territory originally acquired in 1742, overlook the sea and are currently planted with vines up to 90 years old. The Traclò family acquired them two generations prior and the brothers are now stewards of their land, the biodiversity of the area, and long standing traditions of Calabria - one of the Traclò brothers is even the last person to speak the ancient Greco-Calabrian dialect of this region. Because of the unique way in which their wines are made in a winery with history that dates back hundreds of years and still has stone-carved fermentation vessel (a palmento), the brothers make a miniscule quantity of wine blended from Nerello Mascalese and other local grape varieties. 

Standing on a 700 meter Hershey Kiss in the middle of the ball of the foot of Italy, Bova in Calabria, walking the land and eating the various candy-like fruits off all their trees, witnessing a 300 year old palmento, made this impromptu find one of the most awe-inspiring winery visits of the year.  The wine is beautifully balanced with fruit and earth, exuding all you desire from Nerello Mascalese, and is as sincere as the brothers who make it. Extremely boutique production. Thank goodness they are in the middle of nowhere, for our sake, because if more people knew of this wine, you’d never get a chance to experience it.