Founded by Stefano Vaccara

Subscribe for only $6/Year
  • Login

Editor in Chief: Giampaolo Pioli

VNY La Voce di New York

The First Italian English Digital Daily in the US

English Editor: Grace Russo Bullaro

  • English Edition
  • Letters
  • New York
  • U.N.
  • News
  • People
  • Entertainment
  • Arts
  • Lifestyles
  • Food & Wine
  • Travel
  • Sports
  • Italian Edition
No Result
View All Result
VNY
  • English Edition
  • Letters
  • New York
  • U.N.
  • News
  • People
  • Entertainment
  • Arts
  • Lifestyles
  • Food & Wine
  • Travel
  • Sports
  • Italian Edition
No Result
View All Result
VNY La Voce di New York
No Result
View All Result
in
Food & Wine
July 1, 2019
in
Food & Wine
July 1, 2019
0

When an Australian Female Winemaker Is a Symbol for Sense of Value in Puglia

When Lisa Gilbee and Gaetano Morella met in Puglia, they fell in love, and they not only became partners in life but also partners in a winery called Morella

Cathrine ToddbyCathrine Todd
When an Australian Female Winemaker Is a Symbol for Sense of Value in Puglia

Some of Morella's Old Vines Photo Credit Morella

When an Australian Female Winemaker Is a Symbol for Sense of Value in Puglia

When an Australian Female Winemaker Is a Symbol for Sense of Value in Puglia

Morella's Old Vines Photo Credit Morella

When an Australian Female Winemaker Is a Symbol for Sense of Value in Puglia

Old Vines Are Better At Finding Balance Even Under Tough Circumstances Photo Credit Morella

When an Australian Female Winemaker Is a Symbol for Sense of Value in Puglia

Tasting of Morella Wines

When an Australian Female Winemaker Is a Symbol for Sense of Value in Puglia

2015 Morella Old Vines Primitivo

When an Australian Female Winemaker Is a Symbol for Sense of Value in Puglia

2015 Morella Mondo Nuovo Primitivo

When an Australian Female Winemaker Is a Symbol for Sense of Value in Puglia

2015 Morella La Signora Primitivo

When an Australian Female Winemaker Is a Symbol for Sense of Value in Puglia

2011 Morella Old Vines Primitivo

When an Australian Female Winemaker Is a Symbol for Sense of Value in Puglia

2005 Morella Old Vines Primitivo

Time: 8 mins read
The wife and husband team of Morella, Australian Lisa Gilbee and Italian Gaetano

When Lisa Gilbee, an Australian winemaker, first came to Italy, in the wine region of Tuscany, she was completely taken by the landscape, the food and wines. As she says in her own words, “everything was the complete opposite of how they did things in Australia,” and as she was tasting lots of great Italian wines, she realized that “there is no one recipe for wine making”. She came back to Italy many times until finally she was “hooked” and she ended up working for wine companies in northern Italy. At the time she was still in her 20’s, determined to always be a strong, independent woman – never getting married, never having children. When Lisa had reached the milestone of turning 30, she was sent to the south of Italy by a large wine company in the north that was her employer at the time, to visit various vineyards. In the region of Puglia she was provided with a driver named Gaetano Morella, who would drive her around as she made assessments of the different plots. Through time she not only fell in love with many of these undervalued old vine vineyards, but she fell in love with Gaetano; they married and not only became partners in life but also become partners in a winery called Morella.

Radici del Sud

Lisa Gilbee, with her husband Gaetano Morella, presented a horizontal and vertical tasting of some of their wines (different wines from the same vintage and same wines from different vintages respectively) at the Radici del Sud. For many years, the wines of southern Italy have been underappreciated, with many of the vineyard growers having to sell their grapes to big companies for very little money. Some of the grape growers eventually planted grape variety clones that were known for higher yield, not focusing so much on quality, and some stayed true to their heritage of keeping the traditional clones for quality, keeping old bush vine vineyards yielding small quantities for complex, concentrated wines. Many of these extraordinary growers of the old vines were still not being recognized by the world and in time, future generations would not be able to afford such practices when the compensation was too little. That is where the association Radici del Sud comes into the picture with a yearly exhibition that brings buyers and journalists from around the world to taste, judge and explore the wines of Puglia (Apulia), Basilicata, Campania, Calabria and Sicily.

Radici del Sud at Castello Normanno Svevo in Sannicandro di Bari, Puglia

One of the things that most struck Lisa when she first came to the south of Italy was the 50, 60, 70 year old bush vines of Primitivo in the wine area of Manduria in the Salento, Puglia, and then the knowledge that the growers had no idea of what the true value of their grapes was to the outside world. This is why Radici del Sud’s investment of bringing buyers and journalists from far-flung countries such as China, Australia, Canada, the U.S., as well as the many surrounding European and Nordic countries, is vital in regards to not only getting global sales and news, but to gauge the perceived value of the many wines in southern Italy.

Morella

Lisa and her husband established their winery, Morella, in 2000, in Salento and through time they slowly started to buy properties – some of the vineyards were old vines that were able to be kept and others had to be replanted; Morella became bio-dynamic in 2009. When Lisa was asked about her approach to bio-dynamics and whether it was a purely philosophical or pragmatic approach, she quickly answered, “I’m an Australian so I’m pragmatic; to do bio-dynamics properly you have to be really practical. There are few rules but if you don’t follow them carefully you don’t get the result you are looking for.” But if there was any personal philosophy behind the practice, for Lisa it was one of ethics, and she stated, ”It is about being a better person and learning to elevate ourselves.” She continued by saying that it was better for her workers and for the community as a whole to use bio-dynamic practices that try to find the ideal balance of nature with all that it encompasses.

During her explanation of the three different single vineyard old vine Primitivo wines she poured for us, “Old Vines” and “La Signora” with 90 year-old vines and “Mondo Nuovo” with 70 year-olds, she talked in detail as if each was her child. Clearly, she had gotten to know these vineyards really well and had developed a deep respect for them; the way they behave in different circumstances, the best way to draw out their individual characteristics in the vineyards. Actually, her minimally interventionist wine-making, with a focus on expressing the vineyard, is an indication of her respect for the heritage of the place as well as the vineyards. She is also committed to only using the traditional Primitivo clones of the area and not buying the “McDonald’s clone” as she calls it, that some producers had to take in times past just to support themselves.

Teaching Others Their Value

Finally, when Lisa was asked about the possible difficulty of being a wine producer from a foreign country in a place with such a fierce commitment to tradition as Puglia, she said that at first there were people who were understandably suspicious; sometimes outsiders come into the community to take what they need without giving back, becoming a further detriment to the struggles of that place. But once the local people saw that Lisa and her husband were there to protect old-vine vineyards planted with heritage clones, they knew that they could be trusted. Lisa even emphasized that if it wasn’t for the tradition of the area, these great old vines would not have been maintained for so long. She also offered the opinion that in some ways, she has an advantage because she does not “undersell” her wines as so many others do in the area.

It is interesting to consider how Lisa started out by coming to Italy in her 20’s with a determination to maintain her sense of  personal value by not conforming to traditional conventions such as marriage and children; yet a couple of decades later she finds herself with a husband and two kids in a place with seemingly old-fashioned ideas. Here, she has not only found a fulfilling place in the wine world, but she also has become a symbol to her neighbors that they too should not undervalue their worth to the world. 

The recommendations below are not only a couple from Morella that can currently be found on the market here in the U.S., but also a selection of wines from other regions in southern Italy that impressed me during my time spent at the Radici del Sud:

Everyday Drinking Wine (less than $15)

2018 Castello Monaci “Kreos”, Rosato (Rosé), Salento IGT, Puglia, Italy ($11): 100% Negroamaro. The native variety Negroamaro is rooted in the area of Salento in Puglia, and this rosato is an incredible value with bright cranberry fruit, nice vitality and some hints of minerality that is an interesting daily rosé to drink that has Italian soul.

Special Occasion Wine (from $15 to $50)

2017 Cantina di Venosa, “Verbo”, Aglianico della Basilicata DOC, Basilicata, Italy ($15): 100% Aglianico. Cantina di Venosa is a co-op in the southern Italian wine region of Basilicata that helps to pool resources among 350 members so they can afford modern equipment and top quality controls to make wines at varying levels and price points. Despite making 70% of the wine in the region, each grower in the co-op has small plots (averaging around 5 acres) and so all of the grapes are handled in an artisanal manner. This red wine over-performs for the price, and is a tremendous value. It has fresh purple fruit and hints of wild flowers that had round tannins with rich blueberry fruit lingering on the finish.   

2018 Statti, Greco, Calabria IGT, Calabria, Italy ($18): 100% Greco. Calabria is another region, like Basilicata, that does not get enough recognition, and this white wine gives a lot of richness and perfume with a broad body and hint of texture, and certainly becomes a nice Italian alternative to Chardonnay.

2017 Morella, Primitivo “Mezzanotte”, Salento IGT, Puglia, Italy ($18): 100% Primitivo.  Going back to the producer highlighted in this article, Morella, and one of their middle tier wines “Mezzanotte”, we see that this wine is a blend of bush vine Primitivo with an average age of 40 years  and a new vineyard  that they planted in 2005 with cuttings from their 90 year old vines from their single vineyards “Old Vines” and “La Signora”. It is interesting how their middle tier wine has 40 year-old vines in it – not something one would encounter so often in New World countries. I did not get a chance to taste this wine but according to Morella’s website it has “distinct ripe berry fruit nose with hints of blackberry and cherry with wild herbs. The mouth is initially ripe fruit followed by a balanced fresh tannin finish.” And after being blown away by their single vineyards, I’m sure this red wine Primitivo will delight.

2015 Vigne Guadagno “Contrada Sant’Aniello”, Fiano di Avellino DOCG, Campania, Italy ($35): 100% Fiano. Fiano di Avellino is one of the great white wines of southern Italy and this wine was a great example of why it has received such a reputation. Complex aromatics with anise, fresh sage and stony minerality, with lovely finesse on the body and fresh acidity.

Fantasy Wine (over $50)

2015 Morella, Single Vineyard Primitivo “La Signora”, Salento IGT, Puglia, Italy ($44): 100% Primitivo from 90 year-old vines from the limestone soils of “La Signora”. This wine was compared to two other old-vine vineyards of Morella (Old Vines and Mondo Nuovo) and this one was the most elegant with an overall finesse and hence, the name. It was laced with intense minerality such as crumbly rock and chalky notes with subtle hints of spice and cherry blossoms with pristine fruit on the long, expressive finish. This wine punches above its weight and delivers quality like an above-$50 wine.  Furthermore, it is designated as Salento IGT instead of Primitivo di Manduria DOC, despite this vineyard being located in Manduria because Lisa said it is too much trouble to deal with the bureaucracy of getting the designation. Primitivo is one of the few grapes that has a second harvest around three weeks after the first, referred to as the “racemi,” but Morella manages their vines so that they  do not produce the second harvest, and on the off chance that they do, they disregard those grapes.

2016 Baglio del Cristo di Campobello, “Lu Patri”, Nero d’Avola, Sicilia DOC, Sicily, Italy (not available on the market currently but should be priced above $50): 100% Nero d’Avola. This wine is named “Lu Patri” since Nero d’Avola is the father of grapes in Sicily. This Nero d’Avola balanced Old World sense of place with notes of balsamic and dried herbs with New World craftsmanship with generous blackberry fruit and hints of baking spice that had well-managed tannins that caressed the palate with a flavorful finish. There is so much Sicilian soul in this wine. 

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Cathrine Todd

Cathrine Todd

Cresciuta nella variopinta New Orleans, mi sono trasferita a Manhattan, New York, nel 1993. Mi sono diplomata al Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET), con sede a Londra, e ho ottenuto la certificazione della Society of Wine Educators. Sono stata nella rosa dei candidati per il Roederer Emerging Wine Writer of the Year e tra i finalisti del Wine Blog Awards per il miglior nuovo blog. Attualmente sono membro del prestigioso Circle of Wine Writers. Con mio marito viaggiamo intorno al mondo per conoscere diverse culture, ma la maggior parte del nostro tempo libero la trascorriamo in giro per New York alla ricerca dei piatti e dei vini più buoni. Mi trovate sul mio blog o su Twitter, @damewine. After growing up in the colorful city of New Orleans, I moved to Manhattan, in New York City, in 1993. I earned the Diploma from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET), based in London, and am a Certified Specialist in Wine from the Society of Wine Educators. Also, I have been shortlisted for the Roederer Emerging Wine Writer of the Year, shortlisted for Best Editorial/Opinion Wine Writing for the Born Digital Wine Awards, a Wine Blog Awards' finalist for Best Writing and Best Overall Wine Blog and am currently a member of the prestigious Circle of Wine Writers’ group. My husband and I love to travel the world to experience various cultures, but we spend most of our free time running around New York City searching for the best food and wine. You can visit my wine blog and follow me on Twitter @damewine.

DELLO STESSO AUTORE

A Great Russian River Vineyard and the Memory of a Beloved Son Live On

A Great Russian River Vineyard and the Memory of a Beloved Son Live On

byCathrine Todd
J. Lohr Vineyards: Becoming a Wine-making Pioneer with a Salt-of-the-Earth Outlook

J. Lohr Vineyards: Becoming a Wine-making Pioneer with a Salt-of-the-Earth Outlook

byCathrine Todd

A PROPOSITO DI...

Tags: Gaetano MorellaLisa Gilbeewine
Previous Post

Qualcuno mi riterrà un bacchettone, ma dalla NYC Pride March mi aspettavo altro

Next Post

Capitana e capitano a confronto: chi è che ha offeso gli italiani o aggirato le leggi?

DELLO STESSO AUTORE

As European Wine Tariff War Comes to a Head, We Worry About American Businesses

As European Wine Tariff War Comes to a Head, We Worry About American Businesses

byCathrine Todd
Many Paths Can Lead to A Great Life, and There Are Many Ways to Make a Great Wine

Many Paths Can Lead to A Great Life, and There Are Many Ways to Make a Great Wine

byCathrine Todd

Latest News

Johnson, non ci fidiamo di TikTok, aveva 9 mesi per vendere

Donald Trump Pressures House Speaker Mike Johnson on Tax Hikes for the Wealthy

byRalph Savona
Nazioni Unite: Guterres accoglie con entusiasmo l’elezione di Papa Leone XIV

Nazioni Unite: Guterres accoglie con entusiasmo l’elezione di Papa Leone XIV

byStefano Vaccara

New York

Agenti USA / Ansa

Spara a un corriere di Door Dash: arrestato funzionario di New York

byGrazia Abbate
Times Square, aggrediti agenti: sospetti legati alla gang Tren de Aragua

Times Square, aggrediti agenti: sospetti legati alla gang Tren de Aragua

byMaria Nelli

Italiany

Il Prosecco italiano conquista i cuori delle donne USA

Il Prosecco italiano conquista i cuori delle donne USA

byAndrea Zaghi
Da sinistra: Elvira Raviele (Ministero delle Imprese e del Made in Italy), Fabrizio Di Michele (Console Generale d’Italia a New York), Maurizio Marinella, Luigi Liberti (Direttore Patrimonio Italiano TV), Mariangela Zappia (Ambasciatrice italiana a Washington), e Diego Puricelli Guerra (Preside Istituto Bernini De Sanctis di Napoli)

Marinella a New York: l’eleganza del Made in Italy all’Istituto Italiano di Cultura

byMonica Straniero
Next Post
Capitana e capitano a confronto: chi è che ha offeso gli italiani o aggirato le leggi?

Capitana e capitano a confronto: chi è che ha offeso gli italiani o aggirato le leggi?

La Voce di New York

Editor in Chief:  Giampaolo Pioli   |   English Editor: Grace Russo Bullaro   |   Founded by Stefano Vaccara

Editor in Chief:  Giampaolo Pioli
—
English Editor: Grace Russo Bullaro
—
Founded by Stefano Vaccara

  • New York
    • Eventi a New York
  • Onu
  • News
    • Primo Piano
    • Politica
    • Voto Estero
    • Economia
    • First Amendment
  • People
    • Nuovo Mondo
  • Arts
    • Arte e Design
    • Spettacolo
    • Musica
    • Libri
    • Lingua Italiana
  • Lifestyles
    • Fashion
    • Scienza e Salute
    • Sport
    • Religioni
  • Food & Wine
  • Travel
    • Italia
  • Mediterraneo
  • English
  • Search/Archive
  • About us
    • Editorial Staff
    • President
    • Administration
    • Advertising

VNY Media La Voce di New York © 2016 / 2025 — La testata fruisce dei contributi diretti editoria d.lgs. 70/2017
Main Office: 230 Park Avenue, 21floor, New York, NY 10169 | Editorial Office/Redazione: UN Secretariat Building, International Press Corps S-301, New York, NY 10017 | 112 East 71, Street Suite 1A, New York, NY 10021

VNY Media La Voce di New York © 2016 / 2025
La testata fruisce dei contributi diretti editoria d.lgs. 70/2017

Main Office: 230 Park Avenue, 21floor, New York, NY 10169 | Editorial Office/Redazione: UN Secretariat Building, International Press Corps S-301, New York, NY 10017 | 112 East 71, Street Suite 1A, New York, NY 10021

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
La Voce di New York
Gestisci Consenso
Per fornire le migliori esperienze, utilizziamo tecnologie come i cookie per memorizzare e/o accedere alle informazioni del dispositivo. Il consenso a queste tecnologie ci permetterà di elaborare dati come il comportamento di navigazione o ID unici su questo sito. Non acconsentire o ritirare il consenso può influire negativamente su alcune caratteristiche e funzioni.
Funzionale Always active
L'archiviazione tecnica o l'accesso sono strettamente necessari al fine legittimo di consentire l'uso di un servizio specifico esplicitamente richiesto dall'abbonato o dall'utente, o al solo scopo di effettuare la trasmissione di una comunicazione su una rete di comunicazione elettronica.
Preferenze
L'archiviazione tecnica o l'accesso sono necessari per lo scopo legittimo di memorizzare le preferenze che non sono richieste dall'abbonato o dall'utente.
Statistiche
L'archiviazione tecnica o l'accesso che viene utilizzato esclusivamente per scopi statistici. L'archiviazione tecnica o l'accesso che viene utilizzato esclusivamente per scopi statistici anonimi. Senza un mandato di comparizione, una conformità volontaria da parte del vostro Fornitore di Servizi Internet, o ulteriori registrazioni da parte di terzi, le informazioni memorizzate o recuperate per questo scopo da sole non possono di solito essere utilizzate per l'identificazione.
Marketing
L'archiviazione tecnica o l'accesso sono necessari per creare profili di utenti per inviare pubblicità, o per tracciare l'utente su un sito web o su diversi siti web per scopi di marketing simili.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
Visualizza preferenze
{title} {title} {title}
La Voce di New York
Gestisci Consenso
Per fornire le migliori esperienze, utilizziamo tecnologie come i cookie per memorizzare e/o accedere alle informazioni del dispositivo. Il consenso a queste tecnologie ci permetterà di elaborare dati come il comportamento di navigazione o ID unici su questo sito. Non acconsentire o ritirare il consenso può influire negativamente su alcune caratteristiche e funzioni.
Funzionale Always active
L'archiviazione tecnica o l'accesso sono strettamente necessari al fine legittimo di consentire l'uso di un servizio specifico esplicitamente richiesto dall'abbonato o dall'utente, o al solo scopo di effettuare la trasmissione di una comunicazione su una rete di comunicazione elettronica.
Preferenze
L'archiviazione tecnica o l'accesso sono necessari per lo scopo legittimo di memorizzare le preferenze che non sono richieste dall'abbonato o dall'utente.
Statistiche
L'archiviazione tecnica o l'accesso che viene utilizzato esclusivamente per scopi statistici. L'archiviazione tecnica o l'accesso che viene utilizzato esclusivamente per scopi statistici anonimi. Senza un mandato di comparizione, una conformità volontaria da parte del vostro Fornitore di Servizi Internet, o ulteriori registrazioni da parte di terzi, le informazioni memorizzate o recuperate per questo scopo da sole non possono di solito essere utilizzate per l'identificazione.
Marketing
L'archiviazione tecnica o l'accesso sono necessari per creare profili di utenti per inviare pubblicità, o per tracciare l'utente su un sito web o su diversi siti web per scopi di marketing simili.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
Visualizza preferenze
{title} {title} {title}
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • New York
  • Onu
  • News
    • Primo Piano
    • Politica
    • Economia
    • First Amendment
  • Arts
    • Arte e Design
    • Spettacolo
    • Musica
    • Libri
  • Lifestyles
    • Fashion
    • Scienza e Salute
    • Sport
    • Religioni
  • Food & Wine
    • Cucina Italiana
  • Travel
    • Italia
  • Video
  • English
    • Arts
    • Business
    • Entertainment
    • Food & Wine
    • Letters
    • Lifestyles
    • Mediterranean
    • New York
    • News
  • Subscribe for only $6/Year

© 2016/2022 VNY Media La Voce di New York

Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?