Wines from Manicardi

History

Manicardi comes out of an Emilian family tradition tied to balsamic vinegar, which families once kept at home as a valuable store. Enzo Manicardi turned that tradition into a business and grew grapes on the hills of Castelvetro, near Modena. In 1980 he bought a small estate with vineyards, the story goes, to make a wine his wife Veva would enjoy, and that led to a sparkling rosé Lambrusco. Today the company is led by his daughter Maria Livia Manicardi.

The land and the vineyards

The vineyards are in the Castelvetro hills, on south facing slopes reaching up to about 300 metres. The estate grows Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro, Pignoletto and Trebbiano Modenese. The winery says the wines follow the soil and exposure of the hills.

The wines

The wines are mostly dry Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro DOC, including a house wine and a single vineyard bottle called Cà del Fiore, along with a sweeter Amabile, as well as sparkling wines from Pignoletto. Yearly output is about 80,000 bottles.

Today

Alongside wine the family makes Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena DOP and Balsamic Vinegar of Modena IGP, aged at a slow pace by traditional methods, and also extra virgin olive oil. The address is Via Massaroni 1, Castelvetro di Modena.

Founded

1980 (vineyards bought by Enzo Manicardi)

Main grapes

Lambrusco Grasparossa, Pignoletto, Trebbiano Modenese

Owners

Manicardi family