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Life, Wine, Vision: 25 Years with Elena Fucci
For some years now, I have been following my passion for wine and food, a journey that has led me to discover extraordinary stories behind a glass of wine or a drop of EVO oil. On this journey, I have been lucky enough to get to know many producers and restaurateurs from Lucania up close, authentic people who put their heart into what they do every day.
What drives me in my work, first and foremost as a naturally curious person and then as a Sommelier, is not simply tasting a product, but telling the story behind it: the stories, the passions, the choices, and even the curiosities of those who create it. Because every bottle, every flavor has a soul, and I like to bring it out. At a certain point, I felt the need to give all this a name: I called it Vitinerario®, a word that encapsulates the meaning of my journey.
On a hot afternoon at the end of June 2025, I set off for Barile, a small village about 40 minutes from Potenza. Waiting for me is Elena Fucci, oenologist and soul of the winery that bears her name. Elena welcomes me with her usual contagious smile and that innate energy that distinguishes her. We have known each other for a long time, we have crossed paths several times over the years, and this is not the first time I have set foot in her cellar, a place where tradition merges with elegant modernity. We move to the tasting room, among the amphorae that hold the Titolo, the symbolic wine of her production, for a chat about stories, wine, and the land.
Becoming a wine producer was not an easy path, especially at the beginning. The world of wine is demanding, selective, and making a name for yourself among the big names requires sacrifice, determination, and a clear vision. Elena's winery was founded in 2000 and today, 25 years later, celebrates an important milestone. A quarter of a century may seem little for such an established company, but the journey that brought her here has been intense, made up of courageous choices and a lot of hard work. And this is precisely what makes Elena deeply proud: having built something great starting from a dream, without ever losing sight of her roots.
Wine is in Elena's DNA! Her grandfather also did this job, albeit in an era and with approaches very different from those of today. And to stand out today, commitment, perseverance, and investment are not enough; you also need curiosity, open-mindedness, and the desire to travel, to engage with the world. Because if the goal is to go beyond the borders of your own land, you have to be able to look far. And then, making a good wine is not enough, you also have to know how to tell its story, to convey its soul. And in this, Elena has an edge; communicating her wine with authenticity is something that comes naturally to her, as if she were talking about a part of herself.
The story of this producer, after graduating in Pisa, led her to choose to broaden her horizons with significant experiences in Bordeaux and Bolzano. She thus returns to Barile bringing with her new ideas and skills. Supporting her in this adventure is her family, always present, and Andrea Manzani, a Florentine engineer with a passion for wine, now an adopted Lucanian. The two met in 2011 in Florence, during a wine event, and from that first meeting something bigger was born: in 2015 they got married, joining life and work in a shared project that continues to grow.
After the great success of the iconic Titolo, the latest project in chronological order is called Verha, a word that in the Arbëreshë dialect, ancient Albanian, simply means “wine.” It all started with Andrea, who independently began a simple operation that would become full of meaning: buying grapes from some local farmers. After a somewhat turbulent start, he and Elena decided to really believe in it and began producing the first bottles of red. Thus was born a project that Elena likes to call “social,” a concrete way to support small local winegrowers, not only by buying their grapes, but also by offering support in vineyard management. A gesture that goes beyond wine production, helping to keep the rural economy alive and counteract the depopulation that has plagued Lucania for years.
The Arbëreshë culture is a living and profound part of Barile's identity, and the ancient dialect continues to be spoken in several towns in the Vulture area. This cultural heritage is also reflected in the winery's wines: in addition to Verha, there is another wine that bears an Arbëreshë name, SCEG, which means “pomegranate.”
Remaining in this world of cultural contamination and authentic flavors, I cannot help but think of a dish that is particularly dear to me: Tumact me tulez (pronounced more or less “Tumaz ma tugl'”). Elena explains to me that it is a recipe of humble origins, handed down over time: handmade tagliatelle with only water and flour, seasoned with breadcrumbs. Over the years, the recipe has been enriched with the addition of oil, tomato, anchovies, walnuts, garlic, and parsley, becoming a dish that tells the story of the land, its people, and the ability to evolve without forgetting its roots.
When we talk about Titolo, her flagship wine, Elena defines it with a phrase that encapsulates her entire oenological philosophy: “A modern Aglianico del Vulture, but not modernist.” It is a subtle but profound distinction. This project was born from the desire to interpret the grape variety with a contemporary eye, without betraying its identity.
The cornerstones of this vision are three: acidity, minerality, and tannicity. Acidity is intrinsic to Aglianico, a distinctive sign that guarantees its longevity and freshness. Minerality, on the other hand, is a direct gift from the volcanic soil of the Vulture, which gives the wine a savory and deep note. And then there is the tannicity, the grape variety's cross and delight, which Elena works with patience and skill, taming it without distorting it.
The grapes for Titolo come from a historic vineyard, located at 600 meters above sea level, where strong summer temperature swings and a low yield per vine help concentrate aromas and structure. To all this is added meticulous work in the cellar: selection of the berries, short macerations, and aging in carefully chosen barriques. This is where the oenologist's hand comes into play: Elena translates every detail into elegance and finesse, creating a wine that tells the story of Vulture in an essential and uncompromising way.
I ask her, in the end, what, in these 25 years of work, has moved her the most. Elena thinks for a moment, then smiles and tells me about her trips abroad, often overseas, between the United States and Canada. She describes to me, with shining eyes, the lines in front of wine bars, people patiently waiting their turn to shake her hand and have a bottle signed.
But the emotion becomes even more intense when she tells me about a particular episode: in 2023, she unexpectedly receives a letter from the Quirinale. It is the President of the Republic writing to her, to appoint her Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic. As she tells me this, you can read in her eyes all the gratitude and pride for an award that is not only personal, but a symbol of an entire life spent with dedication, love, and respect for her land.
Luigi Chiera
You can also find this article in the magazine Il Lucano Magazine!
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