La Biancara di Angiolino e Alessandro Maule: meet one of Italy’s most celebrated natural wine producers
Website: https://www.angiolinomaule.com/en-home
Angiolino Maule is a leading figure in the Italian natural wine scene. He and his wife Rosamaria began a pizzeria in the late 1970s, and saved enough money to buy a farm, La Biancara, with some vineyards. They kept running their hospitality operation, and made their first wines, conventionally, in 1988. But they became friends with winegrowers who were trying to make wines naturally, and this appealed to them. It wasn’t an easy journey, but they persevered and Angiolino founded the VinNatur wine association in 2006. It’s one of the most forward-thinking of all the natural wine associations, and has a research element where new ways of working in the vineyard and winery are being trialled and measured.
They have 18 hectares in 13 plots around the town of Gambellara, which is in the Veneto, just northeast of Soave. Garganega is the main grape variety here, but they also have some Merlot and some Grenache (known here as Tai rosso).
Angiolino is helped out by two of his four sons who work with him in the vineyard and cellar, Alessandro and Tommaso, pictured above.
Angiolino Maule Garg’n’Go Garganega Frizzante 2024 Veneto, Italy
A sparkling wine refermented in bottle with must. Lively, bright, appley and delicious, with fresh citrus fruit and a hint of grape. Rich and expressive. 91/100
Angiolino Maule Masieri 2024 Veneto, Italy
11% alcohol. This is the entry level wine, direct pressed to stainless steel. No added sulfites. Lovely freshness here with apple and pear fruit, showing some grapey depth. Nice freshness with a bit of salinity. Good purity and massive drinkability. 93/100
Angiolino Maule Sassaia 2024 Veneto, Italy
11.5% alcohol. One day skin fermentation then fermented in 3000 litre oak. No added sulfites. Golden in colour, this is rich, smooth and textured with nice depth of ripe pear fruit and some peachy richness. Has a touch of melon, too. Harmonious and broad with nice depth. 94/100
Angiolino Taibane 2021 Maule Veneto, Italy
13.5% alcohol. This is not made every year. Harvested at the end of November, this shows nuts, honey and spice with some spicy oak. A very rich style with a savoury edge. 91/100
Angiolino Maule Masieri Rosso 2024 Veneto, Italy
50% Merlot, 50% Tai rosso (Grenache), from the limestone hills of the Colli Berichi. Lively and fresh with supple red cherry and redcurrant fruit. Juicy and grainy with nice freshness and a hint of green. Shows good acidity. 93/100
Angiolino Maule So San 2021 Veneto, Italy
16.5% alcohol. This is Tai rosso (Grenache), macerated for a month then aged two years in big barrels. Bold and brooding with a savoury, spicy edge to the sweet berry fruits. There’s some silkiness to the fruit, but also some spice and earth, and some grip. An interesting and unique wine. 93/100
Angiolino Maule Monte Sorio 2018 Veneto, Italy
Garganega, dried for 2 months, then given some skin maceration. 70 g/l sugar. Rich and bold with notes of tea, spice, earth and some honey. Real intensity here with grippy structure and a spicy frill. 92/100
