Grape: Cesanese
Region: Piglio, Italy
Farming: Organic
The Pileum winery was started by four friends in 2002 whose vision was to create the best wines of Lazio region – a place their families had called home for multiple generations. From day one, the utmost care has been placed in growing only the Cesanese di Affile grape for the reds, utilizing old vines, planting the right clones, and pursuing a natural approach with spontaneous fermentation, minimal sulfites, and organic practices in the vineyard. Cesanese is the wine of Rome and its people. The majority of the production is consumed locally and very little is exported. What makes Pileum special is their dedication to exploring and experimenting in the vineyards and in the winery to better understand the relationship between grape, terroir, and production methods. Today there are three key members from the families running the estate: Alessandra Borgia, Flavio Carella, and Gian Marco Cioffi. Together, they are pursuing a noble goal to not only make great wine but to better understand their historic region and the grapes that have existed here for thousands of years.