Where it all began. The first vineyard, the first Tenuta delle Terre Nere wine in 2002, the first Etna Rosso to bring the Contrada back on the label and the first in a Burgundy bottle.
Of all our crus Guardiola is the one with the highest altitude, from 900 to 1000 meters, at the extreme limit of the DOC. And of course, the more you ascend, the more the soil becomes impoverished. And the Guardiola is no exception: lean soils composed mostly of volcanic sand, basaltic rubble and small traces of ash. And equally, of course, as the steepness increases, the terracing, to compensate, shrink.
Viticulture becomes all forcedly manual and singularly difficult. The altitude exacerbates the acidity in the wines, the lean soils accentuate the tannins. Complete maturation becomes essential. The yield per hectare is naturally low.
Over time, we came to know our Guardiola vineyard better and better and its wine has become particularly attractive. Always the most closed and difficult wine, it might be a tiny unbalanced when young, but it still remains a favorite. It might be because of its intensity, like the tension in the release of a spring, or its almost merciless purity; or its austere, rigorous minerality. Possibly because from all of this, a character of great power and originality comes into one.
Of all the crus it is the one that takes the most time to relax and express itself. The backbone loses tension, the tannins soften, the authority and vigor remain. Braised, stewed, rabbit alla cacciatora, hare, finanziera, spit-roasted livers, sausages and beans.