In the province of Cosenza, on the southern slopes of the Pollino, the large national park of 200,000 hectares shared with nearby Basilicata showcases a small village, located at an altitude of 700 meters, today with just over 3,000 inhabitants, which traces its origins back to the Enotri, an Italic people that preceded Greek colonization.
His name, Saracena, as happens with many other sweet wines from the warm South of Italy, is now inextricably linked to this type of wine. After all, Enotria means "land of wine" and Moscato di Saracena calls to mind a unique aspect of the Italian wine landscape, both for its history and for the type of production.
The historical sources on the use of Moscato di Saracena date back to Pope Pius IV in the first half of the 1500s, who seems to have been a great admirer of it.
The arrival of such wine at the papal court was the work of Cardinal Sirleto, a Calabrian and prefect of the Vatican Library. Later, it would be the English travelers of the early 1900s, who visited Calabria, that would speak of the wines produced in Saracena. In 1975, Luigi Viola inherited a vineyard and decided to save the Moscato di Saracena from oblivion. By consulting the local women, Viola was able to obtain the production protocol for the passito, which at that time was passed down exclusively orally, as often happens with traditions cherished jealously.
And it is true, considering that Moscato di Saracena, also known as Moscato al Governo di Saracena, is one of those rare and precious products, born from a technique as peculiar as it is innovative, which recalls similar processes that dot the boot from north to south, from Vino Santo of Trentino to Vernaccia di Serrapetrona, ending with Passito di Pantelleria.
Suggestive and unique is his production, which involves the use of different grape varieties. Five, according to the most traditional methodology.
And there are two distinct stages. The first begins in September, when the grapes of moscatello and duraca (the local name for zibibbo, which is in turn muscat of Alexandria) are harvested once they have reached the proper ripeness. These will then be laid to dry on drying racks for 15-20 days. In the first week of October, on the other hand, the malvasia bianca, guarnaccia, and odoacra grapes are harvested, and their must is boiled down until it is reduced in volume by about a third. Therefore, there are two processes of sugar concentration: the first through drying with loss of water, and the second through cooking.
A second double step follows this first one. First of all, the concentrated must needs to be cooled. After careful selection and especially after a gentle pressing, which is often done by hand, withering grapes of Muscat and Duraca will be added. The must obtained undergoes a long maceration, at the end of which it ferments naturally thanks to the action of indigenous yeast naturally present on the skins of the grapes. Fermentation can take place in both steel and wooden containers, as can the subsequent aging. A consequence of this process will also be the increase in alcohol content.
The wine will be amber in color, with an intense nose that leans towards hints of honey, dried figs, dates, dehydrated apricot, and almonds.
On the palate, it is indeed sweet but manages to maintain its own balance with acidity. This results in finesse, elegance, and great persistence. The ideal pairings are with dry pastries, medium-aged cheeses, and blue cheeses. However, a nectar of this type is also suitable as a meditation wine, allowing you to slowly and patiently discover all the facets that make it an absolutely precious product that is now also IGP and a Slow Food Presidia.
Today, the Moscato di Saracena is indeed a reality that Calabrian viticulture can be proud of. There are several wineries and visionary producers who, having understood the importance and uniqueness of such a wine, create it while enhancing its essence. They keep an ancient tradition alive.
