GM and Clem taking an apertif after a day’s work with friend and collaborator Gaetano.

Le Coste is a scenic patchwork of vineyards sloping down towards lake Bolsena just north of Rome. It is a perfect place to grow healthy grapes for wine: the balm of central Italy cooled by the Lake, vines at high elevation in porous volcanic soils, and a lovely mix of fruits, herbs, and olive trees growing between the rows. When Gianmarco and Clementine, the couple who own the domaine, first heard of a vineyard for sale at the top of the Lago's cascading North side, they lept at the opportunity and over the past decade have collected around 8 hectares beneath that now famous site, Le Coste.

Clementine and Gianmarco are a power couple in Italy’s natural wine community. She is an immensely talented agronomist and takes care of the vines by hand with biodynamic practices and an overall holistic approach to plant diversity. Gianmarco is a hotheaded, brilliant cellar master with a skeptical perspective, sharply hewn by time spent with French legends like Allemand and Schueller. Their cellar in downtown Gradoli feels like a serious Burgundy house rather than your typical rustic countryside cantina, with wines from nearly every harvest since they started going through the slow motions of elevage, resting in old barrique and botti borrowed from wineries of prestige further north.

In conversation Le Coste always comes up as controversial (productively, I might add) with Gianmarco's stubbornness and allergy to compromise ruffling feathers left and right. From his thirsty importers worldwide, a sommelier he didn't trust, to fed up winemaker neighbors, he can come across as almost eager to get in your grill about something pissing him off. The regional influence of the domaine, however, is nothing short of gargantuan. Dozens of young Italian vigneron/nnes have admitted to me how much of a credit they owe to Clem and GM for their inspired vision and dedication to quality.

We have a range of Le Coste wines to choose from, from the unbeatable Litrozzo table wines, the invigorating and edgy multivintage Ripazzo experiments, to world class reds and meditative orange wines packed with stone fruits, spice, and an infinite finish. We also stock the sensational olive oil from Le Coste which will make all of your food taste good.

Mac

Here is what is in stock right now:

Litrozzo Bianco 2019 (Procanico, Malvasia, Roscetto, Verdello, Petino, Romanesco) $26

Ripazzo Bianco (Procanico, Malvasia, Moscato) 2019 $28

Bianco 2018 (Procanico, Malvasia di Candia, Ansonica, etc.) $34

Bianco R 2016 (Procanico) $64

Bianco R 2017 (Procanico) $64

Due M 2017 (Moscato two-ways) $64

Litrozzo Rosato 2019 (Aleatico, Sangiovese, Merlot, Procanico) $26

Ripazzo Rosato 2019 (Procanico, Malvasia, Litrozzo Rosato 2018) $28

Rosato 2018 MAGNUM (Aleatico) $100

Litrozzo Rosso 2019 (Sangiovese, Merlot) $26

Ripazzo Rosso 2019 (Litrozzo Rosso 2018, Procanico, Malvasia) $28

Le Primeur 2019 (Aleatico Carbonic Maceration) $38

PNT 2016 (Pinot Noir) $81

Rosso 2016 (Greghetto, Ciliegiolo, Canaiolo) $34

Rosso R 2016 (Greghetto) $64

Alea Jacta Est 2016 (Aleatico) $64

Nini & Lulu 2016 (Syrah) $38

Olive Oil 2018 $36