Altura is an estate winery in the commune of Isola del Giglio (Giglio island) in the province of Grosseto in south-west coastal Tuscany.

Owner: Irene and Franceso Cafagna (a mathematics teacher in Florence). They bought 3.5ha of vineyards in the south of the island in 1999 from an elderly man too old to farm it any more. Francesco had got to know the island and its then more copious vineyards during summer holidays here away from the family home in Rome both as a child–his first visit was when he was nine–and as a teacher, a job he eventually quit in for island life and wine-growing. His first winemaking experiences had been with his father who made wine. 

Vineyards: The vineyards overlook the Tyrrhenian sea, with views to the islands of Montecristo and Corsica. The main grape variety is Ansonica (‘Ansonaco’). Also grown: Sangiovese, Grenache noir, Canaiolo, Malvasia and Moscato. Granite soils. Both dry stone walls and drainage channels have to be maintained. 

Viticulture: Powdery mildew (oïdium) is the main threat. Weeds in the inter-rows are cut and left in situ as mulch. Most of the vines are on rootstocks. All the budwood is mass selection. Cane pruning is the norm (Guyot), with some bush vines (‘alberello’) spur pruned.

Winemaking: Minimal additions of sulfites. Franceso prefers to call his wines ‘living wines’ or ‘alive wines’ rather than natural wines.

White wines

Ansonaco: From the Ansonica variety. The wine would qualify for the Ansonica Costa dell’Argentario DOC.

I-58012 Isola del Giglio (GR), Italy