Gaffino

Lazio

About the Winery

From the winery: "My name is Gabrielle Gaffino. My grandfather Federico was born into a family of peasant Italian emigrants. He became a successful stockbroker and decided to invest in a vineyard near Rome, which had welcomed him, first as a boy, and then as a man, husband and father. He bought an estate in Ardea named Col di Bacco, where we are still located, thus giving life to his dream to touch the soil and work the land like his parents had before him. Viticulture became an obsession due to his love for the land and its fruits, and he passed that to my father Giuseppe. While I was exposed to the land and wines my entire life, I chose to focus my career elsewhere. After almost 15 years, I took time to think about what my real passion was. The answer came almost spontaneously: I wanted to make wine! Thereafter, I studied the fascinating process of making wine. I invested everything that I had luckily, I have been fully supported by my wife and family. Now, I work for myself and my family. For every decision we make, we consider the long-term."

Lazio

Cantina Gaffino is rooted in the province of Lazio, very near to Rome, in a land well-suited to wine production and possessing a winemaking history that is over 2,000 years old. Having grown up here, we are products of this land ourselves-in fact we are intertwined with it. We work the land by hand, and while tradition is important to us, we also look to contemporary practices if these can help us make higher quality wines. We are strictly focused on wines which are an expression of the passion that our family has dedicated to this land for almost sixty years. We are an estate winery: we only use our own grapes to produce our wines. You will find our name on our bottle: this is because we profoundly believe in what we do, and we wouldn't have it any other way.

Vineyard(s)

Our home is located a few kilometers south of Rome, and we have 28 hectares of vineyards. My grandfather Federico farmed primarily Malvasia and Trebbiano, typical grapes which existed on the estate. My father Giuseppe planted Syrah, Petit Verdot, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon as experiments, and I planted Cesanese, Viognier, Malvasia Puntinata and Trebbiano Verde. We are lucky to have all the things required by a vine to guarantee healthy and balanced growth: geographic position overlooking the sea, volcanic soils, the right exposure, and an altitude near sea level. We are fortunate to enjoy pedoclimatic conditions that allow us to produce wines with intensity, freshness and good structure. Being located between a volcano (Albano) and the sea (Tirreno), we have soils with an interesting mixture: clayey and volcanic, very rich in minerals. This, combined with the winds coming from the sea just a few kilometers from us, provide for ideal conditions for vine growing.

Ratings & Reviews

Gaffino

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Merlot 'Tubbo' 2021

91

Gaffino

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Cesanese 'Cardinale' 2020

92

100% Cesanese, matured in large casks for four months; Cardinale refers to the decree
during the time Pope Sixtus V that regulated the sale of wine in ancient Roman taverns.
Bright, intense ruby red; aromas of black plum, cassis, anise and a hint of pink
peppercorn. Medium-full, this offers excellent ripeness, impressive varietal character,
medium-bodied, sleek tannins; subtle wood notes, good acidity and very good
persistence; the finish offers notes of clove and blackthorn. Enjoy over the next 6-8
years.

Gaffino

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Merlot 'Tubbo' 2020

91

100% Merlot; matured in large casks for four months. Bright, medium deep ruby red;
aromas of black cherry, black plum and lavender. Medium-full, with a rich mid-palate,
there is good acidity, medium-weight tannins that are nicely held in check. Subdued
oak notes and good persistence. Offering excellent harmony, this is very enjoyable.
Pair with roast lamb and enjoy tonight or over the next 4-5 years, perhaps longer.

Gaffino

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Rosso 'Roma' 2020

88

Bronze medal in the Decanter World Wine Awards 2023.

Gaffino

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Cabernet Sauvignon 'Il Buon Bastardo' 2019

90

100% Cabernet Sauvignon; matured in barriques for six months. Bright, mediumintense
purple; aromas black currant, black plum, black olive and tea leaves. Mediumfull
with a rich mid-palate, notable persistence, balanced acidity and ample oak notes.
How you like this wine will depend on the style of Cabernet Sauvignon you like; it is
quite ripe and forward, yet the structure is not one for lengthy development. Enjoy
over the next 3-5 years.

Gaffino

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Cabernet Sauvignon 'Il Buon Bastardo' 2019

87

A juicy, saturated nose is full of blackberries and black cherries, with undertones of graphite and pepper providing balance, and a swirl of vanilla tying everything together. On the palate, black cherries and blackberries continue to shine.

Gaffino

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Cesanese 'Cardinale' 2020

92

Gaffino

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Merlot 'Tubbo' 2020

2G

Due Bicchieri - very good to excellent wines that went forward to the final tastings.

Gaffino

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Rosso 'Roma' 2020

93

Publisher’s Picks
A blend of Montepulciano, Sangiovese, and Petit Verdot, with dusty tannins and flavors of cured meat, heather, and plum. Ignited by fierce acidity, tension has a stake on the palate, with flinty persistence.

Gaffino