Our Handcrafted Small Harvest Wines
Podere Erica is a small biodynamic and organic farm in the heart of the Chianti Classico region. With the tremendous passion and dedication of our winemaker, Marco Giordano, we are committed to producing great-tasting, balanced wines in a manner that preserves the natural characteristics of our grapes and respects our land and environment.
We are certified organic in Italy. Our organic and biodynamic practices start in the vineyard (no chemical fertilizers, no chemical pesticides or herbicides, or synthetic products) and then continue into the wine cellar where there are no added chemicals to our wines and they experience natural fermentation. Of course, we hand-harvest our grapes.
Podere Erica is situated in an ideal wine-growing location within the Toscana IGT - the important geographical denomination from which most of the well-known "Supertuscan" wines come. We are located at an altitude of 1,150 feet with favorable southern exposures, gentle slopes and limestone-clay soil rich in galestro - a soft, clay-like soil that breaks apart easily.
Our wines are named after the native birds and plants found on our property that encompasses our vineyard, olive trees and a small forest.
Il Picchio
Il Picchio (Woodpecker) represents our riserva and is made of our best hand-selected Sangiovese grapes, aged 24 months in French oak barrels. It is ruby red with a bouquet of ripe cherries, sweet tobacco and violets with a touch of pepper; complex flavors of forest berry, spice and plum with vibrant acidity and ample tannins.
Awarded Top Wine prize by Slow Wine.
Production: approx. 1,400 bottles of 750ml
Alcohol: 14.5%
Fermentation: Spontaneous fermentation lasts 20 days. Maceration with the skins and some whole bunches for about 3 months.
Aging: 24 months in 500-liter French oak barrel plus 2 years of bottle aging. Released to the market 5 years after harvest.
Filtration: None
La Ghiandaia
La Ghiandaia (Blue Jay) is made with 80% Sangiovese and 20% Canaiolo grapes. Immediately enjoyable as it expresses ripe red fruits and floral notes of violets. It exhibits a lively acidity that gives freshness and texture with soft and enveloping tannins. Selected for the Slow Wine Guide.
Production: approx. 3,250 bottles of 750ml
Alcohol: 14%
Fermentation: The two grape varieties co-ferment spontaneously in cement tanks. Maceration on the skins for 25 days.
Aging: On its fine lees for 12 to 14 months in cement tanks. Released to the market 3 years after harvest.
Filtration: None
Le Rondini
Le Rondini (Swallows) is a compelling skin contact wine made of old vine Trebbiano and Malvasia grapes. Fermented in a terracotta amphora with long skin contact and aged 6 months in demijohn. No added sulfites.
Production: approx. 400 bottles of 750ml
Alcohol: 12%
Fermentation: Spontaneous, without added yeasts
Filtration: None
The Raven
The Raven is a light red made from 50% Sangiovese, 30% Canaiolo, and 20% Trebbiano grapes. Intense and brilliant purplish red color, the aromas are an explosion of fresh red fruits, think strawberries accompanied by a sharp acidity, and light body typical of red wines with low tannins. We recommend serving this red wine chilled. Low sulfites.
Production: 2,100 bottles of 750ml
Alcohol: 12.5%
Fermentation: Spontaneous. Maceration 4 to 8 days on the skins, some whole bunches
Aging: On the fine lees in stainless steel tanks for about 9 months.
Filtration: None
l'Erica Rosé
l’Erica Rosé is a vibrant rosato wine made with 100% early harvest Sangiovese grapes. Deep pink in color with wild strawberries on the nose. A nice balance of fruit and lively acidity with a long finish. Half of the grapes undergo direct press while the other half macerate on the skins for 4 hours. The wine is aged for 5 months in stainless steel tanks.
Production: approx. 1,400 bottles of 750ml
Alcohol: 12.5%
Fermentation: Spontaneous fermentation of indigenous yeasts induced with a 'pied de cuvè' made with our grapes.
Filtration: None
La Cinciallegra
La Cinciallegra (titmouse) is our "Pet Nat" a naturally slightly sparkling unfiltered wine made from Trebbiano and Moscato grapes that "referments" in the bottle producing soft bubbles. Spontaneous fermentation with short maceration on the skins. Color is a sunny yellow. Strikes a nice balance between light sweetness and citrusy acidity.
Production: 400 bottles of 750ml
Alcohol: 12%
Fermentation: Spontaneous without added yeasts
Filtration: None
Le Colombe
Le Colombe (Doves) is our sweet golden wine, made with Moscato grapes which are dried after harvest on straw mats for 70 days to concentrate the grapes’ flavors and sweetness prior to vinification. It exhibits a hint of honey and apricot. Very small production.
Vintage: 2016
Production: 145 bottles of 375ml
Alcohol: 9%
Drying of Grapes: On mats for 70 days
Fermentation: Spontaneous, without added yeasts
Filtration: None
Our Certifications and Commendations
Organic Certification
We are certified organic by Bioagricert as complying with strict EU regulations.
In accordance with organic principles, we do not use chemical fertilizers, chemical pesticides or herbicides, or any synthetic products in our vineyard.
Slow Wine Prizes
We are proud that Slow Wine has awarded Podere Erica with their coveted "Chiocciola" or snail award. The “Chiocciola” award recognizes the Podere Erica winery in 3 important areas:
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For the high quality of our wines that are also a good value
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For producing wines that authentically express our terroir
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For protecting the environment with organic and biodynamic maintenance of our vineyard
TOP WINE AWARD FOR IL PICCHIO
Slow Wine bestowed their “Top Wine” prize to the 2019 vintage of our flagship wine, Il Picchio. This award recognizes not only the exceptional quality of Il Picchio, but also how the wine expresses our terroir and history. The "Top Wine" award also recognizes our commitment to the environment through our organic and biodynamic practices.
TOP WINE AWARD FOR LA GHIANDAIA
Slow Wine named La Ghiandaia 2020 as a “Top Wine” for their 2023 Guide. This award recognizes not only the exceptional quality and approachability of La Ghiandaia, but also how the wine expresses our terroir and history. The "Top Wine" award also recognizes our commitment to making wine without the use of any chemicals.
About Slow Wine
Slow Wine supports and promotes small-scale winemakers in Italy who are using traditional techniques, working with respect for the environment and terroir, and safeguarding the grape varieties that are part of Italy’s heritage.
Gambero Rosso Vini d' Italia 2024
For the first time, Gambero Rosso included Podere Erica in their definitive and best-selling guide of Italian wines "Vini d'Italia" now in its 37th edition. The guide is the result of a year's work by over 60 tasters, coordinated by three curators. They travel around the entire country to taste 45,000 wines. Only about 2,500 producers are selected for the guide. The top wines of the guide are given "tre bicchieri" or three glasses. Our La Ghiandaia '21 was awarded two red glasses which signifies a very good to excellent wine that went forward to the final round of tastings of the top wines. Our Il Picchio '19 and The Raven '22 were both awarded two glasses signifying very good to excellent wines in their respective categories.
VinNatur - Natural Wine Association Blind Tasting Award
At the 2018 VinNatur blind tasting event, our 2014 vintage Il Picchio achieved the ranking of #3 Red Wine from amongst all of the participating wineries from Italy.
The VinNatur Association brings together winemakers from around the world who want to defend the integrity of their territory, while respecting the history, culture and art which has been handed down over time. Producing natural wine means respecting the soils, the environment, the natural cycle of life, and eliminating the use of toxic substances, first in the vineyard and then in the cellar.