During our visit at Salvatore and Gilda Martusciello Winery, we immersed ourselves in the most true wine tradition of Campania. In a company where two extraordinary persons live above all with passion, we retraced the history of two great little gems of our region: Gragnano and Asprinio. Two wines related to the culture of these places. So, what better match with these wines than the film “L’Oro di Napoli” by Vittorio De Sica?
It was not easy to bring back in an article all the passion that Salvatore Martusciello and his wife Gilda transmitted to us in the meeting that took place with us of Ritmo diVino in their Quarto winery.
To tell all the emotions we have experienced in over three hours of conversation with Gilda and Salvatore, in front of a laid table and their exceptional bottles, we should have needed a lot more space.
After all, Ritmo diVino tastings, as far as you know, are everything but technical. We let ourselves be guided almost exclusively by emotions, and this time the journey into the world of Gragnano “OttoUve” and that of the Asprinio “Trentapioli” of this small but gigantic cellar, was really full of emotions.
Gragnano and Asprinio are simple wines. Simple because they are ready-to-drink wines. Wines with immediate tasting. With Gragnano and Asprinio, freshness must appear first.
You can’t expect to drink a bottle of Gragnano evolved twenty or more years. Same with Asprinio.
Entering the square in front of Salvatore’s winery, we would have never thought of a journey like the one we had. A journey that led us to the most genuine Neapolitan style, in the most ancient tradition, in the story of the “Trafica”, that is the negotiation that, in ancient times, made the producers of grapes, massari and traders.
We saw streets and ancient men, people gathered around a wooden table that treated the sale of wine under the sound of ancient musical instruments. We were like them, as men hardened by the harshness of country life, sitting around the table as it was a real libation.
Like those men, we let the wine come down in the glasses. Fresh, sparkling, sweetish. And we emotionally tasted it while Salvatore told us about him. Of a man who makes wine since childhood. Of a person who knows perfectly the Lattari Mounts. A man who put eight masterpieces of our land in its unique wine.
An Emotional Triumph
The merit of turning this visit into a real emotional triumph was of Salvatore. We listened to him for three hours, discussing everything, while the wine flowed in rivers and accompanied every good of God. Rustic, cheese, salami, ham!
Salvatore not avoided any question, because those who live with passion pass them on with equal passion.
To tell us about his OttoUve, Gragnano made with Aglianico, Piedirosso, Sciascinoso, Olivella, Castagnara, Sauca (or Zauca), Santantonina (or Uva del Sabato), the Sulbegna and the Suppezza, he has even given up on the family lunch!
And when we went from the Lattari mountains to the Aversano countryside, tasting its marvelous Trentapioli Asprinio, we made another equally wonderful journey. We ended up like that among the farmers who collect this grape on the great aversane trees, moving like ancient robots on stairs more than five meters high.
Yes, because Alberata is a unique cultivation in the world. The Bourbons of Naples even used it to block attacks from enemy cavalry!
And the wine that is produced here is a wine that unfortunately is destined to become extinct because the elderly peasants are no longer able to transmit their work to young people,
All in all, this journey was a journey through history. A journey into the lives of our predecessors. So what else could we combine with these exceptional wines if not the film “L’Oro Di Napoli” by Vittorio De Sica?
L’Oro di Napoli
L’Oro di Napoli is a 1954 film directed by Vittorio De Sica and taken from a collection of short stories by Giuseppe Marotta.
Six episodes that narrate Neapolitanity as Salvatore told us about his wines. Six stories played by very valid Italian actors like Sofia Loren, Totò, Eduardo De Filippo and Silvana Mangano. Six stories that tell a story.
A great land that only great wines could tell.