Summary
Librandi is the best-known winery in Calabria and something like the region's ambassador to the wine world. From Cirò Marina on the Ionian coast, the family has grown a small business with just under six hectares in 1953 into a company with around 230–240 hectares of vines across six estates. At its heart is the red grape Gaglioppo, the source of Cirò – above all the Riserva Duca Sanfelice. The house became internationally known with the Gravello, and since the 1990s it has made a name for itself rescuing almost forgotten Calabrian grapes such as Magliocco Dolce and Mantonico.
History
Librandi's story begins in the 1950s in Cirò Marina. Founding father Raffaele Librandi left his sons Antonio and Nicodemo just under six hectares of vines, and in 1953 the family began bottling its own Cirò in a small cellar. The company is still named after the two brothers today.
The big breakthrough came with the Gravello: in 1989 the blend of Gaglioppo and Cabernet Sauvignon became the first Calabrian wine to receive Gambero Rosso's coveted Three Glasses – a turning point for the house and for the reputation of the whole region. In the years that followed the estate grew considerably: in 1997 the family acquired Tenuta Rosaneti, today the largest of its estates. The business is now run by the third generation – Paolo and Raffaele Librandi together with their cousins Teresa and Francesco.
Location & Terroir
The Cirò area lies on the Ionian coast in eastern Calabria, north of Crotone. The vineyards stretch from the coast up into the hills of the hinterland. The climate is distinctly Mediterranean: hot, dry summers, mild winters and a steady sea breeze that keeps the grapes healthy and brings cool nights.
Librandi farms its vines on six estates. Tenuta Rosaneti in the hinterland of Crotone is a whole landscape of vineyards, olive groves and Mediterranean scrub; here Magliocco Dolce, Gaglioppo, Mantonico and Greco Bianco grow, partly as bush vines (alberello), partly on trellises. Tenuta Arcidiaconato near Strongoli is home to the vineyard that produces the Gravello. Besides vines, the family also owns extensive olive groves and makes its own olive oil.
Style & Philosophy
Librandi combines the tradition of Cirò with a modern, clean style. Gaglioppo is not over-extracted but crafted for fruit, spice and its typical firm tannins. Alongside sit wines that show Calabria's potential beyond Cirò.
The experimental vineyard
In 1993 Librandi planted its own experimental vineyard in Cirò Marina to preserve and study almost forgotten Calabrian grapes – including Magliocco, Mantonico Bianco, Arvino and Pecorello. Some of the house's most important wines today grew out of this work, such as the white Efeso from Mantonico, launched in 2003 with the 2001 vintage. The company also holds Equalitas certification for sustainable farming.
Notable Sites & Wines
The range runs from classic Cirò to the single-estate wines of the “Le Tenute” line. The best-known wines include:
- Duca Sanfelice – Cirò Rosso Classico Superiore Riserva from Gaglioppo, named after the family's oldest vineyard
- Gravello – red blend of Gaglioppo and Cabernet Sauvignon from Tenuta Arcidiaconato, the house's pioneering wine
- Magno Megonio – single-varietal Magliocco Dolce, flagship of the rediscovered grapes
- Efeso – white wine from Mantonico grown at Tenuta Rosaneti
- Cirò Rosso, Rosato and Bianco – the classic DOC wines from Gaglioppo and Greco Bianco respectively
- Rosaneti Brut Rosé – sparkling wine from the estate of the same name
Awards
Librandi made history in 1989 when the Gravello became the first Calabrian wine to receive Gambero Rosso's Three Glasses. Since then the house has regularly ranked among southern Italy's highest-rated producers: the Riserva Duca Sanfelice wins Three Glasses again and again, the Gravello earns top ratings (Cinque Grappoli) from Bibenda, and the Efeso regularly appears in the best-of lists of Italian wine guides. Above all, Librandi is seen as the winery that made Calabria and Gaglioppo known internationally.
