The best wineries in Piemonte.
Cascina Morassino is a small reality of authentic winegrowers with deep roots in the Langa territory. I had the pleasure to visit it and to meet Mauro and Roberto Bianco, who have been running it for generations, during an in–depth visit to the Langa Hills, starting from Barbaresco and the near Roero, last year, with a cheerful company of sommeliers on the pursuit of tastes and flavors.
Before Giovanni Negro, current owner of Azienda Agricola Negro Angelo e Figli, there was another person ho bore its name. In 1670 Giovanni Domeinico Negro, son of Audino, in the same area where nowadays the Perdaudin estate with its prestigious vineyards is located, owned a farmhouse with oven, farmyard, wine cellar and vine rows.
This historical memory, recorded in historical archives of the municipality of Monteu Roero, remains as an indelible mark of a past that has already become well known, specific of the territory.
Even today, Giovanni Negro and his farm are proud witnesses of the astonishing reproductive capacities of Roero.
Here, between Monteu Roero and Canale, where hills stretch majestically towards the sun, the vineyards and the wineries of Azienda Agricola Negro Angelo e Figli are located: almost fifty hectares cultived with vines, which favor the traditional grape varieties of the area: Arneis, Favorita, Barbera, Nebbiolo, Bondarda and Bracchetto.
At Cascina Riveri, in S. Anna locality, there is the core of the company: the premises of the winery, where wines are produced, fined, the spaces for welcoming those who arrive to learn about products and people who create them, the places where production and market strategies are developed, in a continuous and positive dialogue.
Here at Cascina Riveri, there is real life, that of the family of Giovanni Negro, life that vibrates and that leads this little group of people to the future world.
Here, Giovanni Negro is supported by his wife Marisa and their four children: Gabriele, Angelo, Emanuela and Giuseppe, now all engaged in the company, with which he studies and promotes future projects and implements with pride the current ones. The result of this combination of technology, tradition, young and old generations, is the production of pleasant wines, of outstanding quality, enriched by a strong personality, with intense aromas and complex structures, able to captivate the appreciation of Italy and the whole world.
That of “Torraccia del Piantavigna” is a story that began in 1977, when a small plot of land in Ghemme, owned by the Francoli family, was planted with a Nebbiolo grapes. The name of the company was established 13 years later. The first part of the name is inspired by a gentle hill called Torraccia in the municipality of Ghemme on the hills of Novara, in a territory of great tradition and among the most suited ones of the already ideal Piedmont.
But the name “Torraccia” stems also from the tumbledown aspect of the tower of the Cavenago Castle, which stands still on the top of a hill.
“Piantavigna”, instead, was the surname of the maternal grandfather of the current generation of the Francoli family, a man that devoted fondly his life to the vine rows in these hills, handing down to its still young company his deep knowledge.
Villa Sparina includes 100 hectares of property, 70 of which are planted with native vines dedicated to the production of the Gavi and Barbera wines. And if it is true that great wines are made primarily in the vineyard, all the possessions are located on an optimal soil, have an excellent exposure and enjoy a mild climate. These three factors favor the natural production of great wines.
All wines are distinguished by structural balance, harmony and overall territorial recognizability.
Among the wines, Monterotondo stands out, a cru obtained from Cortese grapes of the municipality of Gavi, from a small vineyard dedicated to it, and Rivalta, a great red wine made from Barbera grapes. Gavi and Barbera Villa Sparina are characterized by tasting freshness, while the classic method Sparkling Brut offers every year fresh and pleasant bubbles.
This historical family run company, with a long tradition and a real point of reference for the territory, was founded in 1945. To see the first bottling we have to wait until 1970. Now, dad Gianluigi, a frank person, almost shy and of great humanity, is aided by his son Diego, who follows him in everything concerns both the work in the countryside and in the winery. The vineyards owned by the Bergaglio family, all pruned with Guyot method and looked after in an outstanding way, are located on perfectly clayey soils near the company, although not in a unique body. Of particular charm, the vineyard that stands above the winery, where the grapes from which Gianluigi and Diego obtain Minaia, their most important Gavi, are grown.
Located in the heart of Gattinara, Travaglini was established in the 1920s by Clemente Travaglini.
In 1958 Arturo Travaglini followed in his father's footsteps and took over the helm at the winery.
The family's passion and commitment to winemaking has not diminished through the generations; Cinzia Travaglini, great-
granddaughter of Clemente, manages day-to-day operations at winery. Her husband Massimo Collauto is the chief winemaker, a role he inherited from his late father-
in-law and beloved mentor, Giancarlo Travaglini.
Throughout the years, Travaglini has established itself in Gattinara as the most esteemed producer of traditional, limited-production wines from the Nebbiolo grape.
Travaglini wines illustrate the full range of expressions Nebbiolo can achieve.
“Gattinara DOCG” has great structure and longevity, while “Nebbiolo DOC Coste delle Sesia” is young, fruity and easy to drink.
Favaro Benito farm was founded in 1992. Our small business is family run. My father, Benito, not only is the man who had the intuition to start this adventure 15 years ago, but he looks after vineyards, which have always been the core of our brand. My brother Nicola helps dad in the complex and crucial work in vineyards. I do my best in the winery to lead wines towards the right direction. Mum Rosanna, as all mums, does many things with great passion: she is our “mascotte”, without her the ring would not be complete. My sister Elena, with her husband Claudio, cultivates all the black grape vines that we vinify, then, in our winery. It is like a fairytale, but it is the simple story of a family that produces wine believing in its work and in upright principles. Our vineyards are all in Piverone, a hill of moraine origins in Serra D’Ivrea, the home of our vines.
In the area of Piedmont known as Canavese, vine cultivation dates back to ancient times, certainly prior to the conquest of the territory by the Romans who, under the guidance of the consul Terenzio Varrone, defeated the indigenous population of the Salassians.
The Romans themselves imported in the area their rational method of cultivation which, except for some improvements, still remains the one
practiced in the area: branching at least one meter from the ground and development of branches on a supporting structure, called:
“Alteno Canavesano”.
To allow this zone to have such an ancient winemaking tradition, two very important factors affected: a hilly area, of glacial origin, composed of hills with gentle and elongated profiles (moraines), where the soil consists of calyey sand and pebbles, a particularly mild climate whose average annual temperature is just below 13C, but in August, very important month for grapes’ maturation, has peaks of 25C.
In the same month the rainfall is fairly scarce (around 70mm), favoring in this way the integrity of berries (essential for the production of Passito). The most widespread grape variety is Erbaluce, from which three wines are produced:
Erbaluce di Caluso DOC, Caluso Passito DOC, Erbaluce di Caluso Spumante DOC.
The story of Orsolani Wineries begins in the late nineteenth century, when the great–grandfather Giovanni, with his wife Domenica, return from America called by nostalgia of their land.
They open the “Locanda Aurora” inn. While the great–grandmother follows the work in the kitchen, Giovanni Orsolani works in the countryside and in the wine cellar to produce the needed wine. The success obtained makes the wine cellar to be enlarged and makes that the forthcoming generation devotes all its time in the latter activity.
The great commitment on the Erbaluce vine starts around 1967, after the recognition of the controlled designation of origin. The results of all this work based on the pursuit of quality, has brought Orsolani Wineries to a position of privilege in the last thirty years.
Starting from 1968, with the first production of sparkling wine from Erbaluce, that in those years is a great novelty, Orsolani Wineries receives the DOC certification on Sparkling Wine.
In 1985 “La Rustia” is created, which introduces the concept of harvest sorting and demonstrates first the potential of this variety
also in its expression of dry white wine.
In 1988, after several years of experimentation, Orsolani Wineries introduce the use of oak barrels in the fermentation of Passito, the historical product, more difficult to modernize, decreasing contexturally its oxidative aging, so that today it can be described as micro–oxidative.
The result is a sunny raisin wine that can be compared to the greatest Italian non–aromatic raisin wines.
In 1996, with the “Vignot”: “S. Antonio” and “S. Cristoforo”, Orsolani Wineries introduce the concept of “Cru”, which is not based
solely on the origin of the grapes from a single vineyard, but also on subsequent vinification and aging, studied
specifically for those particular grapes. Currently, Orsolani Wineries vinify exclusively Erbaluce obtained from about 15 hectares of vineyards and their production is of about 100,000 bottles including the various products.
Tacchino Raffalele farm sells only wine of its own production, for this reason the amount varies over the years depending on the weather trend, just as happened to our ancestors.
Therefore, wine is sold out. Then you have to wait for the forthcoming harvest!
It is obvious, then, that we focus on Quality, and not on Quantity: those expectations have never disappointed our customers.
We are often asked: where does the wine you produce come from?
We would like to point out that ALL the wine of our own production comes from our own grapes and then from our vineyards.
The wine choice presented by the company is always extensive. After all, with its numbers it can boast a range, even qualitative, of very high level within the Piedmont landscape. Also this year, on all, Barbera Banin, of modern structure; Dolcetto L’Ardi grows in personality, and in its debut Monferrato Rosso convinces. Sparkling wines are always fine and gastronomic.
The Vico family runs with accuracy and courtesy the company that contributed to create the image of quality of the vinegrowing and winemaking activities in Canale and in the whole Roero area. Even this year the success of Rosero is confirmed, the pleasant ros&eactue; wine based on Nebbiolo, but also the other wines express quality and a strong bond with the territory. Outstanding is Chardonnay, whose grapes come from the vineyards in Castiglione Falletto; spicy and full of character is Roero, the main wine of the company.
Walter Massa comes from a family that has always devoted itself to the cultivation of vines in the Tortona area, a wine–producing territory that in the past was famous for its two grapes varieties: Barbera and Timorasso, traditionally lanuched to the market in Lombardy. With the abandonment of the countryside Timorasso been totally neglected in terms of wine production. In the 80s Walter, in love with the culture of his country, began to devote himself to the recovery of this variety through mass selection and replanting, convinced of the great potentials of this variety. Time has proved him right, including his Timorasso among the biggest Italian white wines. Last but not least, in the wake of the volcanic Walter other small producers took courage and replanted Timorasso, doing literally resurrect a forgotten wine–producing area of excellence.
Marco Porello presents us a series of considerable value dominated by Roero Torretta 2006, that has spent more than year of aging. Confidential and observer, in recent years Marco has given his business a defined outline that can be found in its wines. Rigorous, attentive to tradition, but with a watchful eye on the market and the consumer. His wines contain this philosophy. We would like to point out the value of the Nebbiolo d’Alba, its quality and in particular its price.
In Loazzolo orchids are many and very beautiful, even vineyards are beautiful and heroic, in this plot of land of Piedmont between Langa of Asti and the rolling hills of Moscato. Many history has passed in these villages, Giancarlo Scaglione is a passionate lover of it, and with pride hands down the culture of territory and wine. Silvia and Gianni run the small company in the beautiful house that was of their grandmother, in the Candelette di Loazzolo area. In the shade of the pergola in front of the house, it seems that time has stopped, to make us appreciate more the value of nature.
My name is Elisa and I have the pleasure to welcome you at Colombera. We are in the small village of Who, only 5 km far from Tortona. Our 20 hectares of vineyards are located close to the wineries and are the very heart of COLOMBERA.
The passion we have for the work of vinegrowers and winemakers, leads us to pursuit grapes of the highest quality. Grapes of each single vineyard are vinified separately. Our labels represent only and exclusively a particularly suited vineyard and that has an average age of 25 years. Young vines are devoted to the production of wines sold in bulk directly at the winery and to individuals.
My grandfather Renato arrived at Cascina Colombera in 1937, after the ruin of his farmstead.
Piercarlo, his son, soon developed a passion for the work of his father, joined him in the vineyards but prefered to work in the fields on tractors and harvesters. Since the 70s the vinegrowing activity of the company took on more importance, and Piercarlo, my dad, understood that there may be a turning point, decided not to sell his grapes to the cooperative winery and began to make on his own his first wines. Over the years he refined his technique in the winery thanks to experience and valuable advice.
He sold all the wines he produced directly to individuals, who arrived at Colombera through word of mouth of friends and acquaintances.
In 1997 he began to think to enlarge a little the company, there were 14 hectares of vineyards and a new project.
In 1998 the great turning point in Colombera started. The first label of the company, “Elisa”, was launched: a Barbera from Vigna Brus, that my dad dedicated to me. In 1998 we began to plant Timorasso in different parts of our lands, up to five vineyards of Timorasso.
With the 2000 vintage our projects took shape, we vinifed for the first time Timorasso and more ... the courteous BRICCO BARTOLOMEO, our most known Barbera VEGIA RAMPANA, and SUCIAJA. Since 2000, together with all the producers of Timorasso of the Tortona hills, the Derthona project was launched: each company, with its own grapes, proposes a Derthona wine, that represents the grape variety and the territory of the Tortona hills. Derthona Timorasso, Timorasso Coli Tortonesi.
In 2003 ARCHE’, the Croatina, was created.
Between 2000 and 2005 I accomplished the sensory analysis of all the ripe Timorasso grapes, and among the five vineyards I chose Montino, as in my period of study it has always given the best grapes. In 2006, for the first time, we vinify separately the Montino grapes, and in this way the Timorasso that represents Colombera is produced.
Search on the map the best wineries in Piemonte. With this simple tool you have the opportunity to discover the winery that is the nearest to you or to the area you prefer.
Strada Bernino, 10 12050
Barbaresco (Cuneo)
Cascina Morassino is a small reality of authentic winegrowers with deep roots in the Langa territory. I had the pleasure to visit it and to meet Mauro and Roberto Bianco, who have been running it...
CONTATTA & PRENOTA
Frazione Sant'Anna, 1 12040
Monteu Roero (Cuneo)
Before Giovanni Negro, current owner of Azienda Agricola Negro Angelo e Figli, there was another person ho bore its name. In 1670 Giovanni Domeinico Negro, son of Audino, in the same area where...
CONTATTA & PRENOTA
Via Romagnano, 69/a 28074
Ghemme (Novara)
That of “Torraccia del Piantavigna” is a story that began in 1977, when a small plot of land in Ghemme, owned by the Francoli family, was planted with a Nebbiolo grapes. The name of the...
CONTATTA & PRENOTA
Frazione Monterotondo, 56 15066
Gavi (Alessandria)
Villa Sparina includes 100 hectares of property, 70 of which are planted with native vines dedicated to the production of the Gavi and Barbera wines. And if it is true that great wines are made...
CONTATTA & PRENOTA
Loc. Pedaggeri, 59 15066
Gavi (Alessandria)
This historical family run company, with a long tradition and a real point of reference for the territory, was founded in 1945. To see the first bottling we have to wait until 1970. Now, dad...
CONTATTA & PRENOTA
Strada delle Vigne, 36 13045
Gattinara (Vercelli)
Located in the heart of Gattinara, Travaglini was established in the 1920s by Clemente Travaglini.In 1958 Arturo Travaglini followed in his father's footsteps and took over the helm at the...
CONTATTA & PRENOTA
Strada Chiusure 1/bis 10010
Piverone (Torino)
Favaro Benito farm was founded in 1992. Our small business is family run. My father, Benito, not only is the man who had the intuition to start this adventure 15 years ago, but he looks after...
CONTATTA & PRENOTA
via Michele Chiesa, 12 10090
San Giorgio Canavese (Torino)
In the area of Piedmont known as Canavese, vine cultivation dates back to ancient times, certainly prior to the conquest of the territory by the Romans who, under the guidance of the consul...
CONTATTA & PRENOTA
Via San Rocco, 23 15060
Castelletto d'Orba (Alessandria)
Tacchino Raffalele farm sells only wine of its own production, for this reason the amount varies over the years depending on the weather trend, just as happened to our ancestors.Therefore, wine is...
CONTATTA & PRENOTA
Via Vittorio Veneto, 76 15019
Strevi (Alessandria)
The wine choice presented by the company is always extensive. After all, with its numbers it can boast a range, even qualitative, of very high level within the Piedmont landscape. Also this year,...
CONTATTA & PRENOTA
Via Torino, 80 12043
Canale (Cuneo)
The Vico family runs with accuracy and courtesy the company that contributed to create the image of quality of the vinegrowing and winemaking activities in Canale and in the whole Roero area. Even...
CONTATTA & PRENOTA
P.za G. Capsoni, 10 15059
Monleale (Alessandria)
Walter Massa comes from a family that has always devoted itself to the cultivation of vines in the Tortona area, a wine–producing territory that in the past was famous for its two grapes...
CONTATTA & PRENOTA
Corso Alba, 71 12043
Canale (Cuneo)
Marco Porello presents us a series of considerable value dominated by Roero Torretta 2006, that has spent more than year of aging. Confidential and observer, in recent years Marco has given his...
CONTATTA & PRENOTA
Reg. Candelette, 4 14050
Loazzolo (Asti)
In Loazzolo orchids are many and very beautiful, even vineyards are beautiful and heroic, in this plot of land of Piedmont between Langa of Asti and the rolling hills of Moscato. Many history has...
CONTATTA & PRENOTA
Strada Comunale Vho, 7 15057
Tortona (Alessandria)
My name is Elisa and I have the pleasure to welcome you at Colombera. We are in the small village of Who, only 5 km far from Tortona. Our 20 hectares of vineyards are located close to the wineries...
CONTATTA & PRENOTA