Winery: Paolo Petrilli
Region: Apuglia (Puglia)
Locale: Lucera (Daunia), Italy
Appellation: Daunia
Designation: IGT

Site: Grown organically, at about 300 meters altitude, in the winery’s 10 hectares of south-facing estate vineyards; soils stony calcareous, with grass and flowers growing between the rows to compete for nutrients. Vineyards are entirely unirrigated.

Grapes: 100% Nero di Troia

Fermentation and Aging: Maceration for 12-16 days at 26ºC in 15 HL French wooden open-top fermenters; hand-punched (pigeage) for first 7 days. Undergoes Malolactic fermentation and suffers for a total of 14 months in French oak (70% new, 30% second passage) barriques, then for 6 months in stainless steel. Fined for 10 days at room temperature with egg whites. Unfiltered. Then spends one year refining in bottle before release in order to tame the wild character of Nero di Troia.

Notes: Only 3000 bottles are produced of this smokey, spicy, full-on gorgeous wine. The name “Il Guerro” means “the Boar”, a reference to how difficult it is to grow this tricky grape. The grapes must be picked during several passes through the vineyard, since they refuse to ripen all at the same time.

Vintage: 2008