The Calafata winery was established in 2011, in the heart of the Lucca hills between the municipalities of Maulina and Morianese, by a group of young friends led by Lorenzo Citti, who decided to restore the family vineyards.
The name “Calafata” is a tribute to the master caulkers, those who managed to build stable and safe boats for navigation at sea practically with nothing, waterproofing them with the sole use of rope and pitch.
Calafata is more than a winery; it is a 360-degree recovery operation: it is primarily a social cooperative that, through the employment of young and disadvantaged people, brings to light and puts back into production abandoned lands and forgotten vineyards. Thanks to the help of numerous Lucca companies, the estate has prospered and today spans almost
30 hectares planted mainly with
Vermentino,
Trebbiano,
Malvasia, minor Moscati,
Sangiovese,
Canaiolo,
Colorino and other indigenous and aromatic black grape varieties.
The vines are mainly exposed to the north and south and their roots sink into a
terroir with a
predominantly clayey medium texture with a skeleton of gravel and stones. In the cellar and in the vineyard, a
biological and
biodynamic regime is in place:
chemical and synthetic elements that would alter the life cycle of the plants and the qualities of the grapes and wine are
banned. The great respect for the territory and the ecosystem that has been created imparts great character and aroma to the wines of Calafata winery. In the
cellar, the
biodynamic principles are always followed with
spontaneous fermentations,
indigenous yeasts present in the skins,
fermentations at uncontrolled temperatures, and no filtration or clarification at the time of bottling.
Since 2015, the winery has embraced Luca Gargano's “Triple A” philosophy, that is, farmers who also become artisans and artists, with the intent of rediscovering the ancient winemaking traditions of their region of origin and avoiding the standardization of wine by banning modern agricultural techniques. The desire to give new life to the lands, but also a bit to the people who cultivate them, has become the leitmotif of the estate. As they say, hard work always pays off.