Storia
The Fontana family’s early roots
The family’s connection with the property reaches back more than two centuries. Around the beginning of the nineteenth century, the youngest of the Fontana sons settled in the house now called Fontanin. The name is both the name of the family home and a diminutive of the surname Fontana.
Ettore and Livia Fontana
Livia Fontana inherited her passion for viticulture from her father, Ettore. She continued the work and values of the seven preceding generations, centred on seriousness, commitment and attachment to the land.
Over time, the estate added vineyard parcels while increasing its focus on the quality and care of its land. Its vineyards now combine younger vines with long-established vines and extend from Castiglione Falletto to Bussia in Monforte d’Alba and the Roero area.
The eighth generation
The winery is now managed by Livia Fontana and her sons Michele and Lorenzo. They represent the eighth generation of the Fontana family, with each family member contributing through distinct responsibilities. The present approach combines inherited practices and traditional vinification with modern technology, close human supervision and an effort to minimise technical and agronomic intervention.
The 202-year milestone
In 2022, the family marked 202 years of continuity. The anniversary was presented through the theme “La Carica dei 202,” connecting the estate’s roots in Castiglione Falletto with its continuing relationship between tradition and modernity.
Terroir
Vineyard geography
The estate’s 10 hectares are distributed principally around its central base in Castiglione Falletto, in the Bussia area of Monforte d’Alba and in Roero. Nebbiolo for Barolo and Barbera are grown in the Langhe holdings, while Arneis comes from Roero.
Villero
Villero lies in Castiglione Falletto. The cru as a whole extends over more than 15 hectares, ranges from 225 to 360 metres and has southern and south-western exposures. Its soils are described as mineral-rich blue-white Helvetian marls with extremely low permeability. Their ability to retain water helps preserve grape quality during particularly dry vintages.
The approximately 1-hectare estate holding associated with Barolo Villero is situated at 300–350 metres with a south-western exposure. Its soil is identified more specifically as Marne di Sant’Agata Fossili with sand.
Mariondino and Serra
Most of the fruit associated with Fontanin comes from Mariondino and from the Serra vineyard in the westernmost part of Villero. Mariondino is a small cru at an average altitude of approximately 300 metres, at the edge of Castiglione Falletto where it borders Villero and the municipality of Monforte d’Alba at Bussia. It faces west and has a marly-sandstone structure crossed by sandy veins. The combined vineyard area associated with Fontanin is approximately 2 hectares at 300–350 metres; its soils are also identified as Marne di Sant’Agata Fossili with sand.
Bussia and Munie
Bussia occupies the slope descending from Monforte d’Alba toward Castiglione Falletto. It comprises Bussia Soprana and Bussia Sottana; the latter includes Munie and Pugnane. Livia Fontana’s vineyard is in Munie. It faces south-west and west at an average altitude of about 300 metres. The profile describes clay-rich marls, a particularly homogeneous structure and low permeability. The estate holding associated with Bussia Riserva covers approximately 0.5 hectare; its more specific soil description is Marne di Sant’Agata Fossili with sand.
Vinificazione
Integrated pest management has long been preferred across the estate. Vineyard work is carried out manually, with close attention to the condition of the land and respect for the vines and surrounding environment. The objective is to obtain wines in harmony with the resources of the land while applying the minimum possible technical and agronomic impact.
The estate combines younger and older vines and has progressively increased the care devoted to its vineyards as new parcels have been added. For the Nebbiolo vineyards supplying Villero, Fontanin and Bussia, harvest is conducted manually into baskets, with bunch selection, generally around the middle of October.
The cellar combines an old section of brickwork and traditional wooden casks with a modern display and bottle-storage area characterised by transparent, contemporary supports. The architectural contrast reflects the winery’s intended balance between tradition and modernity.
Cellar work is manual and closely controlled. Decisions are followed through observation, smell, touch, intuition and practical competence, leaving little room for improvisation. The guiding objective is to limit technical and agronomic impact so that the wines retain a recognisable connection to their place of origin.
Filosofia
Wine is understood as a philosophy of life and a code of ethics grounded in respect for the earth, attention to a specific territory and a bond with nature. It is also seen as a bridge between tangible experience and emotion: flavours, aromas and colours can evoke memories, dreams and significant moments.
The family considers its history, vineyards and wine inseparable. Passion, affection, enthusiasm and continuity are the values used to connect eight generations of family work with the present estate. Its quality philosophy rests on careful cultivation, environmental respect, integrated pest management and manual work.
Tradition is not treated as incompatible with technology. The estate combines traditional vinification and inherited experience with modern equipment and presentation, while preserving direct human control. The intended result is wine whose provenance remains recognisable wherever it is consumed.