Francesco Scala
Italy
Francesco's Wines
- Italy
- 2 wines
- 2 styles
Third generation Calabrian showing you what 3,000 years of wine tradition tastes like
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Forget the tourist traps and take a drive south from Naples, past the Amalfi Coast and deep into the ‘toe’ of Italy, you’d hit Calabria. A rugged place that feels like the land time forgot, it’s one of the least talked-about wine regions in Europe. Which needs to change – because it’s actually one of the richest and most historic wine cultures on earth.
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When the ancient Greeks first waded ashore in the 8th century BC, they named Calabria ‘Oenotria’ – the land of wine. Its wines were served to ancient Olympians and philosophers alike. And that 3,000-year-old winemaking tradition hasn't just survived, it’s thriving in the hands of winemakers like Francesco Scala.
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As a third-generation Calabrian winemaker in Cirò, Francesco’s career path was pretty much decided at birth. He keeps things deliciously authentic. Championing local grapes like Greco Bianco and Gaglioppo and even ageing his reds in his grandad’s original 1940s underground cement tanks.
Francesco Scala's Story
Born into the vines
I grew up surrounded by vineyards and wine. My grandfather Antonio built our winery here in Cirò back in 1948, and my father Luigi later renovated it in 2005. As a child, I spent most of my time out in the vineyards with my family, watching the seasons change and learning early on just how much patience and care wine requires.
At some point, I realized that winemaking wasn't just our family business – it was a part of who I am. Becoming the third generation of winemakers felt like a completely natural continuation of our family story. Taking over the winery is both a big responsibility and a truly great honor.
Where the sea breeze meets the mountains
I am incredibly proud of the place I come from. Cirò is a small town, but it has a very long, deep winemaking history, and I feel so lucky to live and work here. One of my favorite moments of the day is walking through the vineyards early in the morning. From the hills, you can see the Ionian Sea just a few kilometers away, and you can feel the cool sea breeze coming right through the vines. Those quiet moments always remind me why this work is so special.
I love that our landscape gives you the best of both worlds; we are right by the Ionian coast, but the rugged Sila mountains and their deep woods are only about an hour away. Depending on the season, I love escaping to the mountains to relax just as much as I love being by the sea.
Respecting the tradition of the land
My winemaking philosophy is very simple: respect the land and let the grapes speak for themselves. I believe wine should always reflect its exact place, its climate, and its history. Because of that, we work entirely with native Calabrian varieties like Gaglioppo and Greco Bianco, grown organically in our coastal vineyards.
To preserve the true, authentic character of the fruit, we practice minimal intervention and rely on spontaneous fermentations in the cellar. For our red wines, we still age them in the traditional underground cement tanks built by my grandfather in the late 1940s. They are a massive part of our historic identity, letting the wine evolve naturally without the flavor-altering influence of oak.
A shared community journey
Wine is never made by one person alone. My family is at the very heart of everything we do, but we are also supported by a small local team who know these vineyards inside and out. In Cirò, wine is woven into our community and culture, so many of our friends and neighbors are part of the journey too.
My big focus right now is to keep improving our organic vineyards and to really highlight the unique identity of our native grapes – especially Gaglioppo. My ultimate dream is to show more people around the world the true, unpolished character of wines from Cirò.
That is why I am so excited to connect directly with Naked Angels. It gives me the chance to speak directly to the people drinking our wines and share the genuine passion, history, and hard work behind every single bottle we produce. Welcome to our world!
