Storia
The Bonfante and Chiarle winegrowing tradition
Malgrà’s roots lie in the work of the Bonfante and Chiarle families, two families of winegrowers active from the beginning of the twentieth century. Their fathers and earlier ancestors had cultivated vineyards and sold the resulting grapes. The two families initially continued this model before joining forces to transform their own crop into wine. Over the following decades, their partnership developed a flourishing local market built on personal trust and the expectation of consistent, dependable quality.
The creation of Malgrà
Malgrà was established in the mid-1990s after Giorgio Chiarle decided to launch a new entrepreneurial wine project. He left the business he shared with his Bonfante cousins and assembled a new team around him. The objective was a decisive advance over the earlier operation in production, technical capability and commercialization, allowing the new company to compete throughout Italy and, especially, in international markets.
The new winery adopted the production of major Piedmontese wines as its central mission. Its portfolio developed across white, red, sweet and sparkling categories, including Gavi DOCG and Moscato d’Asti DOCG; sweet Brachetto d’Acqui and Brachetto d’Acqui sparkling wine; and Barbera-based wines such as Nizza DOCG and Barbera d’Asti DOCG in frizzante, classic and superiore forms. The range also extended to wines associated with Barolo, Barbaresco, Dolcetto and Arneis.
Acquisition by the Miroglio family
In 2012 Malgrà was approaching its acquisition by the Miroglio family. That year, Giampiero Gallesio joined the winery to assist its commercial activity; after the acquisition, the family later transferred him to a role at Tenuta Carretta. By September 2016, Malgrà had been part of the Miroglio-Carretta organization for several years and operated as one of the estates of the Terre Miroglio group.
Expansion in Nizza Monferrato
In 2020 the group expanded Malgrà’s holdings through the acquisition of approximately 12 hectares in Nizza Monferrato. Nine hectares were already under vine. The transaction expanded and consolidated the winery’s pre-existing Monferrato vineyards, taking its vineyard area to more than 40 hectares. At that point, approximately 90% of the Monferrato vineyards were in the municipality of Nizza Monferrato, with the remainder in neighboring Mombaruzzo, where the winery itself is located. The three principal named plots were Mora di Sassi, Gaiana and Cugnexio.
Terroir
Malgrà is based in Mombaruzzo, in the heart of Monferrato Astigiano near Asti. Its vineyards extend between Mombaruzzo and neighboring Nizza Monferrato, an area closely associated within the estate’s activity with Barbera-based wines.
Following the 2020 expansion, approximately 90% of Malgrà’s Monferrato vineyards were situated in the municipality of Nizza Monferrato and the remaining portion in Mombaruzzo. The holdings are organized around three principal named plots: Mora di Sassi, Gaiana and Cugnexio.
Vinificazione
Malgrà follows integrated farming and sustainable-agriculture principles. Its wines are based on fruit grown in estate vineyards. The approach links environmental responsibility with the objective of interpreting the character of the harvested raw material while retaining the estate’s inherited winegrowing traditions.
Malgrà vinifies fruit from its estate vineyards across still, sweet, sparkling and frizzante categories. Its production encompasses white wines, sweet and dry reds, and Barbera-based wines in several forms.
The Col dei Ronchi sparkling range employs Metodo Classico. Refermentation therefore takes place in the bottle, and the range includes wines subjected to extended maturation on the lees. The longest-aged Col dei Ronchi bottlings are identified with 120 months of lees ageing.
Filosofia
Malgrà’s founding project was conceived as a qualitative step forward in production, technical resources and commercial reach. Its stated ambition was to produce the major wines of Piedmont and to compete beyond its established local market, both nationally and internationally.
The estate’s approach combines passion, human creativity and respect for inherited practice. Wine is understood as a creative expression shaped by people, but its raw material comes from nature and must be interpreted without losing sight of tradition. Integrated farming and sustainable agriculture extend that principle into the management of the vineyards.
The project also preserves values established by the Bonfante and Chiarle families: mutual trust, close relationships with the market and dependable, consistent quality.