The report of the ALASKA delivery, our refrigerating Tecno-Glacette, as award to Federico Stroppolatini, winner of Young Wine Grower of the Year Award of the Slow Wine 2022 guide.
Thanking Slow Wine for the trust given to us, we can only begin our story by mentioning, verbatim, the reason of the Award to which we were able to give shape and color with our ALASKA.
"Federico Stroppolatini, who today is 28 years old, following his father’s illness in 2015, left his studies in engineering, taking on the management of the family business. When he inherited the winery, mostly bulk wine was produced without a precise style and an ambitious direction; thanks to him a clear change was made, in the name of sustainability and uncompromising quality, with particular attention also to lesser known vines, such as yellow tocai. Although very young, Federico is contributing to the growth of viticulture in Friuli Venezia Giulia animated by an enthusiasm and courage out of the ordinary."
So, after taking part to the official presentation of the Slow Wine Guide 2022, within Milan Wine Week 2021, with the symbolic delivery of Alaska to an astonished and amazed Federico Stroppolatini (definitely he does not expect!), we took advantage of a wonderful and clear winter day to go to Gagliano of Cividale del Friuli (UD), to deliver the Award and to discover the wounderful wine world of Federico.
Absorbed in the light and colors of the Colli Orientali of Friuli Venezia Giulia, we listen to Federico to tell the story of those lands, of those vines (some still dwelling, exceed a hundred years of life) and his family. A family that has increasingly identified itself over time with a total adherence to nature, to its rhythms and rules never written.
Federico is the new keeper of this world, over the studies and the culture, protagonist of an absolute and pure agronomic method, improves that pinch of healthy and ancestral dreamer madness which is decisive for the success of every enterprise.
Absorbed among the scents of a wine cellar, ancient and friendly but absolutely modern, glass by glass, we listen to Federco talking about his wines with a young passion: from Friulano Colle of Giano, selection of its own company clone, perfected in durmast barrel-rolls on the noble lees …
…to Pignolo, an autochthon type of red berry, known since Middle Ages but left and almost forgotten during the times beacuse of its poor productivity but now the new emblem of an heroic and distinctive viticulture.
Federico does not fertilize his vineyards, letting that life / vine arises itself and grows en balance, all in favor of the reduction of the employement of phytosanitary products and the environmental impact.
Salutandoci, ci permettiamo la più ovvia delle domande chiedendo se questo è il vero senso del “biologico” e la risposta di Federico arriva puntuale… "più che biologico parlerei di logica, rispetto e buonsenso".
We gave Alaska to Slow Wine to make it an important award dedicated to young people - Cinzia and Monica Perin conclude - but we would never think that it will take us the opportunity to know a special person like Federico. A dreamer, like us, like everyone must be in their own field, in their own vineyard. We like this walking among ancient vines talking with young people rich in culture and enthusiasm. We like the idea of carrying on this journey.
Mauro Zardetto
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