2021 Casa Comerci ‘Libìci’ Calabria IGT Magliocco Canino

Calabria is perhaps the most confusing wine region when it comes to grape names, really because interest and therefore investment in sorting out the confusion is still sparse, despite Calabria being a tremendous wine growing region. This grape variety is often used as a blending partner for its color, to find it as a single varietal is rare and cool! Grapes grow organically at 250m asl under Mount Poro in Badia di Nicotera (central Calabria) in silt and clay, rendering a robust wine. Grapes are de-stemmed and soft-crushed with about ten days maceration and fermentation at a controlled temperature in stainless steel. Low sulfite addition. Libìci is a Calabrian dialect word for the hot winds from Libya, Northern Africa, aka scirocco, in the Italian language. Blackberries, spice, licorice, and tea like tannin. It’s light but also...not. The fresh and high acidity keep it lively and lifted, while the more brooding fruits and flavor profile make it a possible pairing with lamb and red meat dishes. 

Vineyard: Nicotera (loc. Badia) (VV) 250 mt a.s.l.
Limbadi (loc. S. Andrea) 250 mt a.s.l.

Soil composition: Sandy and silty

Vine Age: ~25yrs

Casa Comerci was founded in the late 1800s by Francesco Comerci, a man of extreme tenacity and courage. Despite having two daughters, which at the time was a disgrace in this conservative part of the world, he actually delighted in teaching them to appreciate the beauty of the land. Michelina grew up to love olive trees; Rosina the grape vines. In fact it was Rosina who then naturally followed in the footsteps of her father and dedicated her life to winemaking. Quite fortuitously, she married the local barrel maker and together they had seven wonderful children. Unfortunately after his untimely death Rosina had to muster all the courage that was passed down from her father and go it alone in the wine business. 

It was not until the third generation, with Domenicantonio, that the Casa Comerci saw its revival. Just as his grandfather did in the century before, he decided to throw himself into the world of wine, leaving Emilia Romagna (where his father immigrated to from Calabria) to return back to his family's land in Calabria. Together with his sons Francesco and Federico, the fourth generation, he revived Casa Comerci. More land was acquired over time and now the area boasts 30 hectares, split evenly between vineyards and olive groves. What makes his wines so special is that they are all single-varietals, and all made respecting the local terroir, climate and growing conditions. The consider Magliocco Canino their most important grape variety.