Returning to archetypes is more than a trend; it is a necessity. Francesco Valentino Dibenedetto and his family, at the helm of L'Archetipo, understand this well. In their winemaking venture in the heart of Puglia, in Salento (Italy), they distance themselves from the region's classic style, seeking the authentic and natural. Their philosophy is based on the idea of returning to the essential, to the pure form of cultivation, without excessive intervention, hence the name of their project.
To achieve this, they practice synergistic agriculture, an approach that goes beyond organic and biodynamic methods. Instead of using the plough, they foster a natural ecosystem where soil microbiology and plants work in harmony. Thus, a living soil is created that purifies water and autonomously nourishes the vines, without the need for chemical products.
The wines born from this approach are dynamic and full of energy. L'Archetipo Spumante Moscatello Selvatico Salento, for example, is a sparkling wine made from moscatel grapes, grown in clay-loam soil rich in humus and cultivated with the principles of synergistic agriculture.
The vinification follows the ancestral method, unfiltered and with minimal intervention, meaning that after crushing and destemming the grapes, the must ferments spontaneously thanks to a "pied de cuve" formed by indigenous yeasts. Then, the wine is transferred to an autoclave, where the second fermentation occurs at a low temperature (11-12°C), before halting naturally when the wine reaches 50 grams of residual sugar. From there, the wine rests on its lees for several months, with continuous batonnage, to ensure stability and the purest expression of its terroir. The result is a sparkling wine that has not been filtered or clarified, maintaining its authenticity and freshness, with minimal sulphur dioxide intervention.
L'Archetipo Spumante Moscatello Selvatico Salento demonstrates that returning to basics is not only possible but is the best way to progress towards a more authentic and sustainable future, where respect for nature and time gives rise to a vibrant and lively wine.