Size & Type
Other
Nebbiolo from Verduno, Piedmont, Monforte d'Alba, Italy, Barolo
$61
The Langhe Nebbiolo is a the perfect intro to the Nebbiolo range from Alessandria.
“Prinsiòt”, a Piedmontese dialect noun that means little princes, it’s the historical nickname given to our family by the inhabitants of Verduno.
This Nebbiolo, that takes origin in the vineyards “Sotto Orti” , “Campasso” and “Neirane” all in Verduno.
A perfume of roses & fresh red cherry pop from the glass. Immediately you expect elegance and the flavour profile offers it up in spades. The mouthfeel of Langhe Neb’s can be a quantum leap compared to their Barolo counterparts. Yeah there is a gap here, but, it much smaller. The quality of the pretty, crunchy fruit and divine flowers matching the structural element well.
In stock
From the Winery: “Prinsiòt” is our family’s historical nickname, in Piedmontese dialect.
This wine has a precise aim: to bring out all the elegance and aromatic finesse of Nebbiolo and to ensure that the tannins are silky and balanced.
Municipality: Verduno
Grape variety: Nebbiolo
Vineyards, Exposure and Altitude: Neirane (West, 330-400 meters), Pisapola (South/East, 280-350 meters) e Sotto Orti (West, 270-310 meters)
Average age of vines: around 10 years
Total area: about 1 hectare
Soil: limestone and silty
Longevity: 4-6 years
First year of production: 1964
Gian Battista, his wife Flavia, brother Alessandro and son Vittore are the proud custodians of the family’s winemaking tradition and passion, which date back over a century, and represent the seventh and eighth generations of winemakers (the first three generations as Fratelli Dabbene and then as Fratelli Alessandria following a marriage which took place in around 1870).
The winery vinifies only estate grown grapes.
The fifteen hectares of vineyard owned by the winery are its real assets and are located in some of the finest crus in Verduno. Alongside Nebbiolo, there are Dolcetto, Barbera, Freisa and the singular Pelaverga piccolo, which has found its ideal habitat in Verduno. The only white grape is Favorita.
The usual winemaking info is available. The 2 most important elements that shine through for me.
First they use big old wood, no trees to chew through.
Second, the wines look great in the glass. They are beautifully balanced, have wonderful personalities, and, have that freshness with development that is so crucial for any decent drink.
Harvest period and method: by hand, in October
Fermentation and Maceration: 22-30 days in tanks at a constant temperature of 26 – 28 °C (78,8 – 82,4 °F)
Ageing and Fining: about 3 years in 20 – 40 hectolitre (2-4,000L) Slavonian and French oak casks. 2 months in stainless steel tanks and at least 6 months in horizontally laid bottles
Bottling period: at the beginning of the 4th year after the harvest
Fratelli Alessandria is based in Verduno, home to its most famous Cru, Monvigliero. The boys have additional holdings in Monforte.
Verduno is located at the northern tip of the Barolo zone and is the closest village to the River Tanaro. It enjoys a special microclimate, influenced by air currents from the river. This, together with the soil composition and all the other elements of the terroir, clearly characterises the wines.
Verduno belongs to the Tortonian side of the Barolo zone and specifically to the La Morra unit. Starting from the Monvigliero sub-zone, this area extends southwards to the end of Monforte, skirting Barolo and including the La Morra sub-zones of Brunate and Cerequio. The soils consist of fossil S. Agata Marl and are of a calcareous-clayey nature, having emerged from the sea some 6-7 million years ago.
This 3D flyover is Epic covering each of the communes you can see just how varied and extreme the aspect of each vineyard is and how in the space of a few metres just how dramatically the change.
Soil formation in the Barolo production area by Pierre le Hong.
Where in the world does the magic happen?
Fratelli Alessandria, Via Beato Valfrè, Verduno, Province of Cuneo, Italy
You must be logged in to post a comment.