Behind The Vines: S'Ete
Italian Natural Wines at their Finest, that's S'Ete
You think you know wine, but you really don't until you taste natural wine. Unaltered by man's hand, only then, can those juicy ripe grapes show what they're made of. Only then can you feel the terroir or ‘sense of place’ in every bottle, every glass and every sip.
Natural wines are not a trend anymore, they're becoming the new norm, and it's easy to see why. We all want to drink wine in its naked form.
The finest natural wines can come from every corner of the earth, including the small town of Priverno, just south of Rome. That's where the good folks of Sete Winery work their magic. Here's what you need to know.
Rescuing Autochthonous Varieties
S'Ete opened its doors in 2013 with a precise aim, to rescue the charming native Egrapes grown in the rolling hills of Lazio. Wines made from the more common Trebbiano, Cesanese and Moscato are joined by the rare Ottonese, fondly known as Bombino Bianco for an awe-inspiring selection of grapes. They become the colours on a palette for winemakers Emiliano and Arcangelo.
100% biodynamic grapes, spontaneous fermentation by native yeast, and a direct pressing in an 'old school' way, along with no chemicals or sulphites added are all key pillars for S'Ete and something you’ll see across all wines they produce.
A Vinous Revolution
S'Ete is more than a winery; it's an authentic revolution. Rescuing abandoned vineyards, challenging the status quo. There's no machinery here, or sophisticated temperature-controlled fermentation tanks — just two friends and their grapes.
Named after the 'Seven Hills of Rome', meaning the area we now known as Lazio, Sete is innovating, but at the same time honouring the region's past. Grapes have been grown here since the Ancient Romans, perhaps earlier, and today you find the very same grapes that became the wine Caesar loved so much, so why change the recipe?
It's All About the Wine
Sete makes a wide variety of wines. A rustically charming 100% Cesanese called Comandante Cesanese leads the winery's reds. An enticing orange-pink Sete Tropicale is a fragrant blend of the region's white varietals, and the list goes on. If you want to taste Lazio's terroir in its purest form, You must try these wine. Here's what you can expect from one of our favourites
Sete Nfascato is an orange-tinged white wine made with the elusive Ottonese grape and its noble stablemate Moscato. Close your eyes and feel the most alluring scents of chamomile and bruised apples on the nose, followed by a vibrant herbaceousness backed by a piercing acidic backbone. The palate of infinite length extends long into a zesty finish, inviting you to take another sip. That's the grapes talking; they're showing you around through your senses.
Enjoy Italian Wine as it Came to the World; Naked.
Natural wine is untainted by commercial yeast, and other manipulation going on at the winery and vineyard. It smells, tastes and feels just like it should, and as SETE proves every vintage, the stuff is good!
Keen to sample some of these guys natural gold? Check out S'Ete Natural Wines
