The uniqueness of the terroir
The family live and work in the Langa hills in the northwest Italian region of Piedmont, famous for its great wines and white Alba truffles. This is where Barbaresco is born. Deeply rooted in these steep hillsides, the Nebbiolo, Barbera and Dolcetto wines keep alive in the memory the wisdom of localfarming folk. Of the women and men who have handed downthis legacy, today a UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE. Our Rombone and Manzola vineyards are situated in the commune of Treiso, our Montaribaldi vineyards in that of Barbaresco: small plots of land where, as the seasons pass slowly by, the vines reach out to the sunlight.
A cru that comprises some of Treiso’ finest vineyards. Its southwest-facing location allows it to benefit from the sun’s last rays right and its soil, mostly limestone and clay, produces wines of extraordinary complexity and longevity.
Our vineyards grow round the cellar: they include the historic plantings of the grapes that go into Barbaresco Rombone and Seifile, the vine rows planted more recently for the Dolcetto d’Alba, the stupendous Barbera d’Alba plot and the recent plantings of Nebbiolo Michet adjacent to the building itself.
At the heart of this ‘geographic mention’ is the extraordinary Nebbiolo vineyard of Cascina Quinto. The vines on this steep south-facing ridge were planted many years ago and are kissed by the sun from the first light of dawn to the glow of sunset. Eroded by the passing of time, the soil is calcareous with a tiny percentage of clay.
The complexity of Barbaresco Montaribaldi emerged right from the very first harvest. That was the first time the grapes from the vineyard were vinified separately, so the wine was eagerly awaited by critics and buffs alike.
One of the smallest and oldest crus in Treiso, bordering with Rombone to the north and Valeirano to the east.
Manzola also faces southwest and has mainly clay and limestone soil with sandy outcrops, which make it particularly conducive to wines of great elegance.
From our two Manzola vineyards, which grow nebbiolo lampia and michet grapes, we produce the Barbaresco of the same name.
Work in the vineyard
The vine rows are trained with the traditional Guyot upwards vertically trellised system.
The vines and the soil are farmed with respect for the balance of the environment, a sine qua non for quality grapes.
Work begins in the winter months with the pruning of the old canes and proceeds in spring/summer interventions on the new vegetation, including cluster thinning to help the grapes to ripen.
Then, at last, comes the moment everyone has been waiting for, the grape harvest. Towards the middle of September we pick the dolcetto grapes, at the start of October the barbera, then in the second half of the same month the nebbiolo.
Once the last bunch has been plucked from the vine and the new wine is coming to life in the cellar, we are already thinking of the year ahead, opening up and nourishing the soil to favour the balanced growth of the new with the first warmth of spring.