# Gaio Gaio Rosso (2024)

- **Producer:** Calabretta Azienda Vinicola
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Nerello Mascalese
- **Region:** Sicilia, Italy
- **Style:** Natural
- **Alcohol:** 12.5%
- **Average price:** €19
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 12–16 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** cherry, strawberry, redcurrant, violet, black pepper, herbaceous, smoke, tobacco, forest floor

## About this wine

Massimiliano Calabretta represents the fourth generation of a family farming Etna's volcanic terraces since the early 1900s. Uniquely, Massimiliano is also a Professor of Electrical Power Engineering specializing in Nuclear Fusion, bringing an analytical yet hands-off approach to his natural winemaking. While Calabretta is famous for slow-matured, decade-aged Vigne Vecchie, Gaio Gaio was created as its energetic, playful counterpart. The name translates to 'Joy Joy' and is a tribute to Massimiliano's father, whose childhood nickname was 'Gaio'.

## Interesting facts

- Winemaker Massimiliano Calabretta is a nuclear fusion engineering professor who applies scientific precision to natural winemaking.
- The name Gaio Gaio means 'Joy Joy' and honors the childhood nickname of the winemaker's father, Gaio.
- Calabretta is a proud founding member of Triple 'A', Europe's highly demanding natural wine collective.
- The vines are young but propagated via massal selection from the estate's ancient 100-year-old ungrafted centenary vines.

## Food pairing

Gaio Gaio's high acidity and low-to-medium tannins make it exceptionally versatile. It cuts through the richness of traditional Sicilian pasta dishes and cured meats, while its light body and fresh red fruit profile allow it to pair beautifully with meaty fish like tuna and swordfish without clashing.

## Wine making process

For the 2024 vintage, the grapes were hand-harvested from young vines on the northern slopes of Mt. Etna. The fruit was 100% destemmed and gently crushed. Spontaneous fermentation occurred with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel tanks, followed by a short 6-day maceration on the skins to emphasize a fresh, low-tannin profile. The wine was aged for 10 months in large, neutral Slavonian oak casks before being bottled with light filtration and no fining.