classical quirky vino
Lifted notes of blackberries and red cherries with new leather and dark spice, over a core of tight minerality. This is barbera in a classic, un-showy style.
APPELLATION: Barbera d'Alba DOC
VINTAGE: 2018
STYLE: red
GRAPE: barbera
FARMING: organic
FERMENTATION: stainless steel
MATURATION: oak, stainless steel
FILTRATION: unfiltered
VEGAN: yes
ALCOHOL: 14.5%
CASE SIZE: 12
Aromatic, savoury and herbal. Pomegranate, redcurrant, rose petals, pepper and mint lift from the glass, over a lean, silky structure. A fantastic expression of this quirky Piemontese variety.
Basadone is the local name for the wild poppy that is pictured on the label. It loosely translates as ‘lady kisser’, thanks to its reputation as an aphrodisiac.
APPELLATION: Verduno DOC
VINTAGE: 2017
STYLE: red
GRAPE: pelaverga
FARMING: organic
FERMENTATION: stainless steel
MATURATION: stainless steel
FILTRATION: unfiltered
ALCOHOL: 13.5%
CASE SIZE: 12
Classic nebbiolo nose of redcurrant, strawberry, rose petals, and sandalwood over fine-grained tannin and lively acidity. A delightful example of traditional yet accessible Barbaresco.
APPELLATION: Barbaresco DOCG
VINTAGE: 2016
STYLE: red
GRAPE: nebbiolo
FARMING: organic
FERMENTATION: stainless steel
MATURATION: oak, bottle
FILTRATION: unfiltered
ALCOHOL: 14%
CASE SIZE: 6
Castello di Verduno Barbaresco Rabajá Bas comes from one of the most famous Barbaresco cru. The vineyards lie 300 metres above sea level and are planted on calcareous-clay soils called "Marne di Sant'Agata". Bas in the name alludes to the fact that grapes are only chosen from the lower section of the vineyard to produce a wine with greater depth & concentration.
In the winery, Castello di Verduno Barbaresco Rabajá Bas is fermented in stainless steel tanks for about 20 days with native yeasts and macerated in wooden vats for about 40 days. It is then aged for 20 months in Slovenian oak barrels and finally rests in the bottle for 18 months before being sold.
APPELLATION: Barbaresco Rabaja DOCG
VINTAGE: 2017
STYLE: red
GRAPE: Nebbiolo
FARMING: organic
FERMENTATION: stainless steel
MATURATION: Oak & Bottle
FILTRATION: unfiltered
ALCOHOL: 13.5%
CASE SIZE: 6
Perched at the top of the tiny Verduno village, on the northern edge of the Barolo zone, Castello di Verduno is one of the historic estates of Barolo. The castle was originally built in 1500, and it is here that nebbiolo was first vinified in the style that would become Barolo as we know it today. Bought by the Burlotto family in 1909, they have restored the castle and the winery to its original glory. Today Gabriella Burlotto and Franco Bianco run the estate with their daughters Giovanna and Marcella and oenologist Mario Andrion.
Covering 10 hectares of vineyards in both the Barolo and Barbaresco zones, Castello di Verduno have prized holdings in two of the most famous crùs: Monvigliero in Verduno (Barolo) and Rabajà in Barbaresco. They are also dedicated to the pelaverga variety, local to Verduno, which produces light-coloured but very distinctive red wines with fragrant pepper and spice characteristics. Thanks in part to their pioneering efforts with single-vineyard plantings, it was granted its own appellation, Verduno DOC, in 1995.
With all of this history behind them, Castello di Verduno could not be anything other than a traditional producer, though the wines are never rustic. The vineyards are farmed organically, with meticulous care in the vineyard and the cellar. Mario uses only native yeasts for the fermentation, and favours minimal use of sulphur. Long macerations and use of large old barrels are employed for the top wines, while the varietal bottlings see mostly stainless steel to retain their character. These are poised, vibrant wines that capture the essence of Piemonte.