Winery Caiarossa S.R.L
"The earth does not belong to man, but man belongs to the earth."
Eric Albada Jelgersma
"The earth does not belong to man, but man belongs to the earth."
The Caiarossa winery is located in the southernmost part of the province of Pisa, in the municipality of Riparbella near the Tyrrhenian Sea. This part of Tuscany, not far from the Val di Cecina, is considered a stronghold of the art of winemaking and seems almost undiscovered compared to the major tourist hotspots.
The owner of Caiarossa is Eric Albada Jelgersma, who also owns Château du Tertre and Château Giscours in the Bordelais.
The team around general manager Alexander Van Beek combines Italian and French oenologists, and the grape varieties are also integrated from both countries: primarily Sangiovese, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Syrah and Alicante. The 16-hectare vineyard has been cultivated biodynamically since 1998. The cellar is laid out over four levels according to the principles of Feng Shui and allows the gentle transport of grapes, must and wine by gravity instead of pumps.
The grapes are harvested by hand in several stages, starting in the second half of August. After destemming, the red grapes are selected again manually and fermented spontaneously with natural yeasts in concrete and wooden tanks. The entire vinification process is carried out separately for each parcel and grape variety. Alcoholic fermentation, maceration and malolactic fermentation are completed after around two months. Maturation in barrels of various sizes lasts between 12 and 24 months. Cuvéeing then begins and the "finished" wine rests in cement tanks for a further year before bottling.
photos: Caiarossa S.R.L
