Neolitico, a wine “from another era, produced with modern technology” in Puglia by Roberto Giacobbo

In an era where technology is omnipervasive, even in sectors like agriculture and viticulture, one might wonder what we could possibly learn from the agricultural systems of the past, or how we might apply them to our new, and clearly different, needs. Roberto Giacobbo answers to this question, one of the most popular and beloved science communicators on Italian television (known for shows like “Voyager” and “Freedom - Oltre il confine” - “Freedom - Over the boundary”), who tells the story of the wine adventure undertaken by his daughter Giovanna and her boyfriend Cataldo Faretra (from a traditional Puglia family rooted in grape cultivation and winemaking) with the winery Terre di Maria, to which he himself collaborates: “we harvest grape by grape using extremely advanced technology. Cameras, sensors, air jets, and micro-vibrations detach only the grape from the plant without traumatizing it - Giacobbo explains to WineNews - as you can see, to achieve a result that feels “from another time”, modern technology is essential”. This is how the young winery in Puglia produces the wines of the “Neolitico” line, with the pure Primitivo Torreclava as its diamond tip, already boasting several recognitions (from Luca Maroni to Ais - Associazione Italiana Sommelier - the Italian Sommelier Association, from “Merano WineFestival” to Forbes) and is gaining increasing appreciation among critics and wine guides.
“Terre di Maria - Giacobbo continues - has its vineyards on an ancient Neolithic site, where men, who had access to all the land they could see, chose the most fruitful and interesting plots, which allowed them to work less because the land was richer. And, this whole story is also tied to transformation: we are trying to use the goals of the past, but which can be applied, given the effort required only through modern techniques”. The result is an organic wine with great structure that, thanks to modern tools enabling the revival of ancient practices with less effort, turns out to be “better”: more enveloping, smooth, and full-bodied. “We have combined strength, desire, knowledge, passion, and the land”: a special land, according to Roberto Giacobbo, as evidenced by the fact that the ancient city of Erdonia once stood in the area, a “little Pompeii waiting to be rediscovered”, proving that “if there were many people, much trade, and much agriculture, then this land must be something special”.
Roberto Giacobbo, asked about the relationship between wine, science, and culture, replied that wine is linked to “science because it is an art which follows precise laws that must be respected to achieve a quality product. Between culture and wine, the connection is even deeper: it is an “atavistic legacy”, something that has been within us since ancient times and has always been accompanied by a sense of conviviality. Wine, when shared, strengthens human relationships; otherwise, it has the opposite effect: it is sadness”.