As with all the tours to Piemonte, our first night dinner was at the Cortiletto d’Alba restaurant, where we had a brilliant introduction to the region’s cuisine and wines. We started with a small portion of vitello tonnato (the classic dish of the region), then a ravioli del plin (stuffed with meat), and the main was roasted pork with hazelnuts. To finish a hazelnut cake that displayed the region’s style as well as substance! Our wines were a Roero d’Arneis and a Dolcetto and our adventures had begun.
In the morning we boarded the coach and en route to Barbaresco Tim explained the Italian DOC and DOCG classifications and reasons behind them, and that Barbaresco until the 1950s had been virtually unknown – a supplier of grapes to Barolo. We climbed hill to north of Alba past villas with stunning views, and then dropped down into the wonderful landscape of folded hills that create the famous natural amphitheatres. We wound along the roads, looking at the Nebbiolo grapes still hanging on the vines – harvest had only just started..
At Montaribaldi we were greeted by Michaela and Antonella who led our visit. They explained that in 1968 Pino and Carla Taliano who had just got married, moved from Roero buying vineyards, and now make 200,000 bottles each year. Their sons Luciano and Roberto now run the business which they renamed Montaribaldi after Roman road that links their vineyards.
Their focus is on single vineyard wines, and in the winery we saw the tanks in which they vinify all their plots separately,the concrete tanks in which they stabilise the sines, and in the ageing room the traditional big barrels and barriques. They age in oak for up to 30 months depending on the nature of the grapes they have harvested.
In the spectacular glass walled tasting room we revved up with a sparkling Chardonnay/Pinot Noir blend made by the charmat (tank) method, and then set to a comparison of four Barbarescos, which culiminated in a comparison of the 2018 and 2011 Palazzina vineyard – a wonderful opportunity to experience mature Barbaresco with its smooth tannins, evolved flavours and great power.
Refreshed by a glass of Moscato d’Asti, we said our goodbyes and headed to Guarene for lunch, the views as we twisted and turned round the roads were just amazing.
The Miralanghe restaurant delivered not only what it said on the tin – amazing views south across the Langhe, but a traditional lunch of vitello tonnato, mushroom risotto, beef cheeks and hazelnut cake with pear. Roero d’Arnesi and Barbera d’Alba by Marco Porello accompanied this lovely meal, and we enjoyed a wander around Guarene in the very warm autumn sunshine before reboarding the coach and heading north, for our second visit of the day.
At Giovanni Almondo in Monta we met Stefano, the son of Giovanni, who with his brother Frederico (the winemaker) now manages the estate, with dad still taking a very active interest. They own 23ha in Roero, half around Monta which has clay and limestone soil, whereas their other vineyards further south are more classically sandy.
Stefano spoke with passion about their belief that soil is key to their wines, and the care they take of their environment, farming organically, preserving older vines, and in the winery generating surplus energy from their solar panels that they feed back into the grid. He described the contrast between the vineyard monoculture of Barbaresco and Barolo and the mixed farming and woodlands of Roero, and other differences – north of the Tanaro river the bedrock is much younger, a dried out sea bed with fossils, and further from Mediterranean influence so much drier. Nebbiolo has been grown in the region since the 13th Century, and is the only principal black variety allowed under the Roero DOCG, while Arneis derives its name from a hillside a couple of km away, and finds it greatest expression in this region, particularly in the northern part where the Limestone and clay soils create a very special character.
We visited the three interconnected cellars built by the family in the 60s, 80s and the last few years. The barriques we saw were used for transferring wine or small quantities of Barbera or Fresia wines, the family did not like the more overt oak character they imparted on their wines. Their focus for Nebbiolo and Arneis is now to express the grape character, and the contrasts between different areas. A concrete egg (made up the road) is currently being used for the first time – the result of this experiment yet to be revealed!
Upstairs in the tasting room overlooking the family vegetable garden we tasted four wines, each of which Stefano described with great passion.
The 2022 Brico Delle Ciliegie Roero d’Arneis DOCG is made from grapes from the vineyards near Monta, where the bedrock is limestone and clay soils capture moisture. Unlike the majority of Roero Arneis wine, which is grown on sandy soils and is fruitier and fuller, this is has more mineral character (eg Chablis vs Mâcon), and great ageing potential.
Two Nebbiolos, one a blend from different vineyards, one from the Valdiana single vineyard near Monta, showed the quality and approachability of Nebbiolo from the region, and the expression of a single site – the Valdiana had much greater complexity and power.
A Barbera d’Alba finished our tasting – its fruit forward easy style meant it made sense to drink it last.
Our visit finished with a visit to the nearby vineyard, which confirmed, if it were necessary, to everyone the dedication of Stefano and his family to their region. We clambered up the slope to see the harvested vines, and viewed the patchwork of vineyards and forests that characterise this area. A return visit beckons for many of us, as the walking in region sounds amazing. Almondo wines are available in the UK, and are most definitely on my shopping list from now on.
It was a short trip back to Alba, and a balmy evening invited yet more strolling, sitting in the pretty squares and even the odd drink or snack. A lovely first day.