Damiano Ciolli 2022 Cesanese Superiore ‘Silene’ Lazio

This is an earthy devil to behold, Damianom Ciolli’s Silene, with its supple tannins and roasted red fruit on the palate, yet it finishes surprisingly clean. An excellent pairing with grilled fennel sausage and pasta with culinary herbs.

For over 4 generations, the Ciolli family has grown grapes in the Olevano Romano, an area in South-Eastern Lazio. This hilly country is made up of mostly volcanic soil, within striking distance of Lazio’s capital city of Rome. In his youth, Damiano traveled all over Europe, tasting and learning technique from celebrated winemakers. He returned in 2001, to take over the family winery, halting the practice of selling off grapes to local wineries. Damiano is joined by his partner Letizia Rocchi, who earned her PhD in grapevine physiology and winemaking. Together, they work the soils of Olevano Romano to produce one of Cesanese’s wildest biotypes, Cesanese d’Affile. The Silene is a fresh and forward version, capturing salinity from the nearby Mediterranean, while showcasing roasted red fruit infused with a punch of earthiness.