Joy Kull, the Swiss-American grower and winemaker behind the La Villana label left us feeling rather inspired- she's a go-getter, passionate and driven, and even threw out a new term that brought me down a new rabbit hole these last months, agroforestry.
Wine producers are often at the forefront of environmental movements, not necessarily as activists, but experimentalists. They see year after year how the warming climate affects their crop- not just in increasing sugar levels due to the heat, but environmental disasters and disease brought on by heavy rains during a warm time of year. Last year, most of the Mediterranean lost upwards of 50% of their grape harvest due to peronospora, a fungus that destroys the fruit. Many of the producers that Cittavino & Co. works with lost up to 90%! as they do not spray with chemicals or fungicides. Joy stands out as an anomaly, she did not lose any of her grapes to the fungus. Her unique vine training system and perhaps her 6th sense, made it possible for her to salvage her crop.
Joy and her vision have stuck with me. I asked her to meet with us Cittavini and chat her story, wines, and the experiments she's taking in the vineyards to combat climate change and really just work the best she can within her context.
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In concluding our focus on Lazio, it was only fitting to go out with a bang! Our Appassioanti Wine Club members received the ultra-rare “Bianco Puro” orange/amber wine from La Villana made from old vine Procanico. The production is so small the importer didn't receive them here in CA- I took these babies over in a suitcase . We are out of this special wine, but there are still the La Villana Rosato made from the Aleatico grape. Join us for the Zoom and bring a bottle!
