VINEYARD | Capraia is one of the islands of the Tuscan archipelago national park. Of volcanic origin, it is characterised by rock and the Mediterranean maquis biome. Located in the heart of the Tyrrhenian Sea, well away from the Italian coast (Livorno is 40 miles away), the island is surely closer to Corsica. Known in the past for its correctional facility (closed since the mid-eighties) it is now a place where a few hundred people live, dedicated to fishing, summer tourism and agriculture. The La Mursa estate has set the goal of recovering the land abandoned by the penal colony. Among these, grapes could not be missing: half a terraced hectare is planted with grenache, alberello training system with a dense planting layout. Located on a slope of Mount Castello, whose highest point corresponds to the summit of the island, at 447 metres.
PERSON | "It all began a few years ago, when I met Gianna, a teacher who came from Puglia to teach on Capraia. I already lived here but with her we made our life choice." This is how Francesco and Gianna create the La Mursa farm and make their dream come true: to produce an authentic and sincere wine, which is the fruit of the island and whose plants grew between myrtle berries and helichrysum. The dream has come true and now, thanks also to the help of Stefano, Francesco's father, La Mursa produces three labels, two reds and a white made from Ansonica and Malvasia grapes. Gianna teaches in the only school on the island and together they also have the village bread bakery (Stefano was the baker in the correctional facility) and a shop where they sell foodstuffs and the vegetables they grow in the various gardens of the island.
WINE | Sulàna is a joyful and lively wine starting from the colour. The bright, clear and brilliant ruby reveals delicious aromas of small berries, currants, cranberries and blueberries above all. Then a spicy hint of pepper, a floral touch of rose and a hint of maquis. The mouth is fresh and graceful, but at the same time it has character to spare. Enveloping, creamy enough, it has a rhythmic sip thanks to well-integrated freshness and a sapid, almost salty, very long finish. It is obtained from grenache grapes, which have always been grown on the island, but which were then lost with the abandonment of agriculture. Some testimonies speak of an ancient wine called U Rappu, made precisely from Grenache and Aleatico grapes. The La Mursa winery has revived viticulture here and the results are extraordinary.
