Aleatico from Elba

A species of vine of Greek origin, imported by the Romans and later granted more importance by Napoleon Bonaparte who had more vineyards planted. It is a very special wine, produced only in Elba and in Gradoli. It is quite complicated to produce because the grapes are left on the plants for several weeks until they are over ripe. They are then put on special racks and left to dry in the sun for several days, having been turned over more than once.The next stage is the alcoholic fermenation at a temperature that is constantly maintained. Some producers then complete the process by putting the wine into special barrels, known as barriques, for 12 to 14 months, before bottling it for at least 4 months; only then can it be considered ready.

The result is a rich, ruby red wine with an intense flavour that has a hint of dried fruit. It is perfect with sweets and chocolate, and above all the typical sweets from Elba like the "Schiaccia Briaca"; if you drink it on its own, you must take your time and sip it slowly in order to fully appreciate its bouquet. An absolute must!

In 2011 the Aleatico from Elba was granted the DOCG acknowledgement, the so called" Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita" (Controlled and Guaranteed Denomination of Origin).

Infoelba suggests: download the excellent article by Stefano Bramanti, published in La Madia Travelfood by Elsa Mazzolini (April 2011), specifically about Aleatico wine, its history, and the producers in Elba ( PDF file, 1,60 MB)