Bosco De' Medici

Campania

About the Winery

Bosco De' Medici cellar is the story of two families, Palomba and Monaco. It was built with a strong emotional connection after a long partnership, that ended up by making Nonno Raffaele's dream come true. Raffaele Palomba wrote the first chapter of this journey: his passion for growing grapes brought him to buying his first vineyard on the slopes of Mt. Vesuvius. In the 1970s Raffaele completely devoted himself to those lands where he produced high quality grapes that immediately became highly appreciated by other local wineries. Of course, he also made some wine for his family. There were no commercial ambitions, just pure passion and love for his land. And right there in those vineyards, during the following years the connection between the families has become strong and long living. The sunny afternoons, spent among the rows, the days of harvest and all the occasions when they enjoy time together and wonderful panorama. From the original vineyard you can admire the whole territory, starting from the south of Naples to the sea and the beginning of the Sorrento Coast. So, in 1996 Gaetano Palomba (Raffaele's son) and Franco Monaco decided to found the Bosco De' Medici cellar. The name of the winery comes from the discovery of a border sign where were carved the letter "M" and a crown, which is the emblem of the Medici, the noble dynasty from Florence that moved to the Kingdom of Naples in XVI century. That sign was found in a vineyard that was likely property of a branch of the Medici family. In the two following decades, after establishing the winery, Bosco de' Medici continued to dedicate their efforts to the production of autoctone grapes, even after the death of Nonno Raffaele. In 2014 the new generations of Palomba e Monaco took the helm. The sons of Gaetano and Franco, Antonio e Giuseppe completed the project: building of the cellar in Pompeii and launching the first official vintage of Bosco De' Medici wines. Antonio Monaco and Giuseppe Palomba finally gave a definite form to what that had been a dream of Nonno Raffaele: a wine made in Pompei, obtained from native grapes grown by the family. In the first official vintage (harvest 2014) Bosco de' Medici produced about 8,000 bottles. Since then, the production has slowly grown every year, reaching 28,000 bottles with the harvest 2019.

Campania

The region has strong historical links to wine and vine, dating back to the 12th Century BC, and is one of Italy's very oldest wine regions. The considerable influence of ancient empires, including the Greeks, Romans and Byzantines, means some of this area's varieties have historical legends attached. The area is also famous for producing Falerno (Falernum), one of the most ancient wines in Italy.

Despite being ensconced in tradition, today's wine styles can range from fruit forward and youthful to robust and well-structured. The whites are known for their aromatic characters, often redolent of the local flora. The reds (mainly from Aglianico) have big personalities which require a little aging.

Dynamic and innovative methods have helped improve the quality of Campania's wines, specifically through better vineyard management, harvesting methods and cellar techniques.

A particularly notable name in the world of Campania wine is Antonio Mastroberardino. His pioneering combination of tradition and innovation make him the most respected, experienced and knowledgeable winemaker of the area.

The region is home to a quartet of DOCGs; Aglianico del Taburno, and Taurasi for red wines, plus Fiano di Avellino and Greco di Tufo for whites. There are also 15 DOCs and ten IGPs, including the region-wide designation. source: wine-searcher.com

Vineyard(s)

Bosco De' Medici have about 8 hectares of vineyards within the Vesuvius National Park, all of them are facing south - south / east and are about 250-300 meters above sea level. The position of the vineyards gives perfect sun exposure and the closeness to the sea (visible from the vineyard) makes the climate ideal for growing grapes, also due to the excellent temperature range and sea airflows. The soil is volcanic, sandy, and rich in minerals such as iron, potassium, phosphorus and silica. The numerous eruptions over the centuries have made the Vesuvian soil one of the richest and most fertile lands in the world. The subsoil, filled with ash and lapillus, provides all the necessary nutrients to the plants. The vines sink their roots very deeply thanks to the permeability given by the sandy nature of the soil. The same nature of the soil that protects plants from phylloxera, allowing them to grow ungrafted. Most of the company's vines are in fact not grafted, and this represents an added value for the wines because the vines are more long-living and robust. The age of the vines varies. It starts from 8 years for the youngest part of the vineyard to over 100 years for the oldest ancient plants. The Bosco de' Medici team only grows indigenous grapes as Piedirosso, Aglianico, Caprettone and Falanghina, and follows the organic protocol.

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Ratings & Reviews

Title	Item	Vintage	Score	Review
Bosco De' Medici	Pompeii Bianco	2021	90	A pure expression of Caprettone made in both stainless steel and terracotta amphorae, the 2021 Pompeii Bianco offers honeysuckle, candied orange peel, tart citrus and dusty mineral notes. This is a pretty but mild white wine that makes a good impression in terms of mouthfeel, thanks to its waxy apricot flavors acquired over 20 days of skin contact in the clay vessels.
Bosco De' Medici	Pompeii Bianco	2021	91	100% Caprettone from ungrafted vines; macerated and vinified in amphorae. Bright, medium-deep yellow; aromas of lemon oil, hibiscus and passion fruit. Medium-full with appealing ripeness, this has excellent structure, very good acidity and admirable harmony; the finish offers notes of white flowers and lemon, along with a pleasing touch of minerality. The persistence is not as complete as one might expect, given the qualities of this wine, so I downgraded my score just a point, but all in all, this is a lovely, very pure, highly distinctive wine to be enjoyed over the next 5-7 years.
Bosco De' Medici	Pompeii Bianco	2021	92	This wine harks back to ancient Roman winemaking, a fitting endeavor for a winery that sits a stone’s throw from the ruins of Pompeii. The grape is caprettone, a native white variety that grows in the volcanic sands of Mount Vesuvius’s southeastern slope, in this case on ungrafted vines. The juice remained in contact with the skins in terracotta amphoras for six months, endowing the wine with copper tints to its color and a broad, saline-infused texture. Flavors of green apple, white peach and grapefruit show hints of smoke while maintaining a fresh, zesty character.
Bosco De' Medici	Pompeii Rosso	2021	93	100% Piedirosso (locally known as Per' e Palummo). Bright, medium-deep purple; aromas of black plum, black raspberry and black orchid. Medium-full with excellent ripeness and a layered mid-palate. Very good acidity; round, elegant tannins noteworthy persistence; the finish offers notes of plum and a hint of anise. This is very well made that displays excellent varietal purity and a distinct savory note that adds so much pleasure to this wine. Enjoy over the next 3-6 years.