Giangirolami Donato

Located in the Agro Pontino, about 60 kilometers south of Rome, the Donato Giangirolami winery has been producing wine for three generations with a sightful eye toward environmental sustainability. The winery is based in Borgo Montello, near Latina, although the vineyards are spread over three different areas: two included in the Castelli Romani production area and one in the Cori appellation. The history of this Latium estate began in 1957 in the Pontine plain, when Dante Giangirolami bought 5 hectares of vineyards to produce wine, in an area that had recently been reclaimed and was therefore new to viticulture. The passion for winemaking was passed from Dante to his son Donato, who became a pioneer of organic farming in the area. Today Donato is joined by his daughters Federica, Chiara and Laura, who represent the third oenological generation of the family.

In its 40-hectare vineyard, the Donato Giangirolami estate raises a combination of local and non-local varieties, including Grechetto, Malvasia Puntinata, Montepulciano, Nero Buono, Syrah, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The rows are conducted on a certified organic regime, without the use of pesticides and with minimal mechanical tillage, while the soils on which the vines grow are predominantly clayey, often with the presence of pozzolan or tuff underneath. In the winery, the white grapes first undergo cryomaceration, followed by vacuum pressing and alcoholic fermentation of the must in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. In the same type of wine containers, the mass remains to mature for several months on the fine lees. The red grapes are also mostly processed in steel, with complete malolactic fermentation and sometimes aging in wooden barrels.

The production of the Donato Giangirolami winery is quite varied, characterized in general by scented white wines and intense reds. The range is then rounded out by sparkling, rosé and dessert wines, all of which are fine wines.