Adele Musella, Campania, Italy
Camelopard is the more traditional English expression for ‘giraffe’. The label, on the other hand, features a modernized and more fun logo that does not go unnoticed. As Bodegas Albero works on the vineyard with ancient and modern winemaking techniques, the image of this wine combines old and new in a fun way.
Bodegas Albero began its journey in 2014 and is a family project, the initiative of three siblings who inherited their passion for wine and agriculture from the generations of growers who came before them.
As one of the very few wineries located in the Ribera del Júcar Denomination of Origin, they have made it their mission to bring the unique and undiscovered wines from this region to the international spotlight. This unknown region offers the terroir distinctive qualities that set it apart from other nearby appellations, from the cooler climate to the lighter yields.
Honoring that heritage means a great deal to them, which is why they named their winery Bodegas Albero: the colour from the first lights of the sun, the meaningful moments they shared after night-harvesting and seeing the beautiful sunrise on the landscapes of Cuenca.
With its unique soil and climate, Casas de Guijarro was both an informed and easy choice. It was also a perfect place to implement their organic farming vision. Their winery is committed to organic cultivation, as they consider it to be the closest thing to "traditional" growing.
Organic, family owned, indigenous grapes, female winemaker, and carbon certified.
Adele Musella, Falanghina
Denomination: Campi Flegrei DOP
Variety: Falanghina
Vineyard: Ungrafted plants, 1. 5 hectares, 200 above sea level, 4500 vines- Guyot
Age: average age- 18 years old
Vinification: Immediately separate from skins.
Fermentation: In stainless steel tanks for 3- 4 weeks, 14°C
Falanghina Campi Flegrei represents one of the most successful white wines in all of Campania. At Adele Musella, careful pruning of their original stock vines, dry farming, producing low yields on their small plot, and attentive vinification methods have produced a white wine of great personality. The wine is shockingly crisp and refreshing, with priceless notes of basil, medlar, and white flowers with a pleasantly salty finish. The winery gives thanks and much of its success to the constant Tyrrhenian winds and rich soils of Volcanic ash, sand, and basalt. The wine ages for about a month in stainless steel containers on the lees. It voices an aromatic bouquet with scents of fennel, apples, golden pineapple, nectarine, and fresh almonds, bordered with a sapid vitality and remarkable softness.
While this wine can easily start the affair, it has no problems connecting with raw seafood and shellfish, such as steamed oysters, shrimps, prawns, and fresh fish carpaccio. Don’t underestimate its ability to stand up to vegetable risottos, especially with wild asparagus and, generally, with all grilled vegetables. Dramatically bewitching, this bottle will match flawlessly with fish-based cuisine, thanks to the cohesion between a pleasant softness and the savory note distinguished by vineyards farmed near the sea.
Adele Musella, Piedirosso
Denomination: Campi Flegrei DOP
Variety: Piediroso
Vineyard: Ungrafted plants, 5 hectares, 200 above sea level, 4500 vines- spurred cordon
Age: average age- 18 years old
Vinification: Maceration - 10 days
Fermentation: In stainless steel tanks for 4 weeks, 16°C
Piedirosso has many aliases: Palombina, Palombina Nera, Palumbina Nera, Palumbo, Perepalummo, Pererusso, Piede Colombo, Piede di Colombo, Piede di Palumbo, Piedepalumbo, Streppa Verde, and Strepparossa. Whichever you call this Campanian red grape, the fact that it has a rich historic, peasant tradition in Campi Flegrei is not up for discussion.
Adele Musella is one of the few Italian producers that can still boast an interesting heritage of ungrafted vineyards, including their Piedirosso vines. They have a simple approach based on respect for the territory, and careful approaches in the cellar, which proves to make versatile wines where the land does most of the creation.
The Piedirosso vines, which are native to Campania, are trained according to the spurred cordon method. The plants, whose age averages 18 years, are ungrafted and enjoy a mild climate thanks to their location, a stone’s throw from the sea. They sink their roots in a sandy-loam subsoil of volcanic origin and bask in the sun, enjoying the sea-breezed exposure towards the southwest. The must obtained after gently pressing the grapes is fermented in stainless steel containers. The final refinement is carried out for approximately one month in steel. The wine is ready to be bottled and marketed at the end of this period.
Adele Musella’s Piedirosso has a customary ruby red color, intersected by some reflections leaning slightly to purple. The nose perceives a set of refreshing aromas, small red fruit- plums and berries, and various spicy hints. The palate is light-bodied and lean, though lively - wrapping the mouth with a fresh, chewy sip. The light body and tannic structure are perfect for how the people in the area appreciate meals- rabbit is king, as is, fish-based fare, and fresh vegetables.