Vincenzo Nardone Estate - Nicola Nardone

I'm Nicola Nardone, the winemaker behind TENUTA VINCENZO NARDONE. I'm known as Pupo, and I've been running this family business, founded in 1908 by my grandfather—hence the company's name—uninterruptedly since 2013.

I studied economics, and this kept me away from the family business and the physical connection with nature that had always been part of my life: my father was born a farmer, and in raising us children, he always instilled in us values that were inextricably linked to the land and its cultivation.

Since I was four years old, my father has always taken me with him to the family vineyards and olive groves and involved me in every work activity. The bond we developed as a child allowed me to embark on this adventure without too much difficulty.

Since I started my business, my role models have been many, all rooted in experiences with natural winemaking and non-organic farming. Over the years, to grow and consolidate my ideas, I've visited many wineries and producers who have been part of the vast cultural heritage that has shaped my wines and my personality over time. I've traveled to many parts of the world to gather information, not only in Italy, Oslavia (and then Gravner), but also in France, focusing on Alsace, Burgundy, and Bordeaux in 2018. I've also traveled to America, where I visited some of California's most renowned winegrowing regions.
Over time, my approach to viticulture has evolved with extensive study and experimentation, but it has never strayed from its core principles: no weed killers, no chemical fertilizers, no systemic treatments. For years, I've been fascinated by Michelle Barbau's organic forest philosophy and some of the insights of biodynamics. I'm not certified organic, and even though some of my vineyards are, I remain highly critical of the certification process, which is purely paper-based and never involves actual fieldwork.

The company is located in Venticano, Irpinia, where 80% of our land is planted mostly with Aglianico. The remaining land is located in Pietradefusi (1 hectare of Aglianico) and Santa Paolina (2 hectares of Greco).

All our lands are located in the most important areas, including DOCGs, but we do not make wines under the denomination except for the reds.

In total, we have ten hectares of vineyards and two hectares of olive groves, which we cultivate with the utmost respect for the fertility of the soil, with the help of tractors for the heaviest work.

Most of the management work is manual, as is the harvest, which takes place in fifteen-kilo crates.

Fermentations in the cellar are always spontaneous, we do not filter or clarify our wines, and since 2015 we have no longer used SO2.