A chat with Cesare Avenia of the Il Verro company
Dialoguing with Cesare Avenia, one of the founders of the Il Verro farm and top manager of a large multinational, I was immediately struck by his enthusiasm for the rediscovery of traditional values, to which he is reserving all his efforts to redeem the heritage wine of its territory of origin.
The company is located in Acquavalle in Lautoni, a small hamlet a few km from Caserta. It is surrounded by a wonderful forest that frames the white Pallagrello vineyard, which appears to our eyes immediately after passing the entrance gate and following a beautiful avenue surrounded by olive trees. To these are added numerous walnut and cherry trees that enhance 12 hectares of land, to which are added the 3 vineyards making up the entire property.
White Pallagrello, therefore, but also black Pallagrello, Casavecchia and, not least, the recently rediscovered Coda di pecora, are the varieties that contribute to wine production. All the rows, planted with the guyot system, receive a lot of light and, thanks also to the authoritative woodland presence, are subjected to significant temperature changes which translate into good freshness, a constant note of all wines. For their labels, whose average total production is around 20,000 bottles per year, they have chosen only names that can be traced back to the local territory: for example, Monte Maggiore is, in fact, the mountain overlooking the area, while the Verginiano is it refers to the friars of an old hermitage, devoted to the Virgin. Lautonis owes its name to the nearby hamlet of Formicola from which you pass to get to the farm.