Cantine del Notaio

Common questions

• Where is Cantine del Notaio? add remove
  Cantine del Notaio is in Rionero in Vulture, in the province of Potenza, in northern Basilicata. The town sits on the volcanic slopes of Mount Vulture. The cellar is at Via Roma 159, just inside the historic centre. The vineyards spread across five villages: Rionero, Barile, Ripacandida, Maschito and Ginestra.
• What is Cantine del Notaio's flagship wine? add remove
  The flagship is La Firma, an Aglianico del Vulture DOC red. It ages in French oak inside the estate's tufo grottoes, carved around 1600. Il Sigillo and Il Repertorio are also built on Aglianico, and Il Rogito is the rosé. There are two méthode classique sparklers, La Stipula Bianca and a Brut rosé. The late-harvest Moscato passito L'Autentica completes the range.
• Can you visit Cantine del Notaio? add remove
  Yes. A guided visit covers the tufo grottoes from the 1600s, the working barrel cellar and a seated tasting upstairs. Visits run Monday to Saturday from 9:00 to 13:00 and 17:00 to 20:00, plus Sunday morning. Booking is recommended through the official shop at shop.cantinedelnotaio.it.
• Is Cantine del Notaio organic or biodynamic? add remove
  No. The estate is not certified organic or biodynamic. Instead it follows SQNPI, Italy's national scheme for sustainable grape growing. The cellar is also certified for environmental care (ISO 14001) and for food safety (BRC). On top of that, it has signed a national framework for workplace gender equality.
• Who founded Cantine del Notaio? add remove
  Gerardo Giuratrabocchetti, an agronomist from Rionero in Vulture, founded the estate with his wife Marcella Libutti. They opened on 5 October 1998. The name honours his father, a notary public in Rionero. The first vineyards came from his grandfather, who was also called Gerardo. Luigi Moio has been consulting winemaker since the first vintage. He is professor of oenology at the University of Naples Federico II.
• How big is the estate? add remove
  Cantine del Notaio farms 40 hectares, about 56 football pitches. The vines spread across five Mount Vulture villages: Rionero, Barile, Ripacandida, Maschito and Ginestra. Top soils range from sand to volcanic debris to clay, over a deep layer of volcanic tufo. Some Aglianico plots in the Casano vineyard at Maschito date from the 1960s. Harvest runs from mid-October into November.