Ruggeri Corsini

From city life to Monforte d’Alba

Loredana Addari and Nicola Argamante both graduated in Agriculture and specialized in Viticulture and Oenology. United by the ambition to establish a wine estate, they left city life and acquired a small property in Monforte d’Alba. The homepage dates their decision to 1994, while the estate identifies 1995 as its foundation and the beginning of production.

The property lies in the hamlet of Corsini, amid the vineyard landscapes of the Piedmont UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its name combines two parts of the founding story: “Corsini” comes from the hamlet, while “Ruggeri” was the surname of Nicola’s mother, whose financial contribution helped the couple launch the business.

The first production and the export market

Production initially concentrated on three traditional Langhe wines: Dolcetto d’Alba, Barbera d’Alba and Barolo. In 1995, vinification began in a disused barn converted into a small cellar.

The estate describes 1996 as its first full year of operation. Production amounted to 6,000 bottles, sold mainly abroad. Exports to the United States began in 1997, and the country subsequently became the principal market. Distribution later expanded to Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Japan, Australia, Luxembourg, Hong Kong and Italy.

A purpose-built cellar and environmental measures

A new cellar was constructed in 2000 and was extended further as production increased. Its position at the centre of the property shortened the journey between hand harvesting and grape reception.

In 2003, the estate began routing all of its cellar wastewater through a constructed phytopurification system. Until 2006, it used the standard 575 g Albeisa bottle. It then adopted the 450 g Light version to reduce energy use in bottle manufacture and transport, as well as the burden associated with recycling glass. At an annual output of approximately 85,000–90,000 bottles, the change reduced packaging weight by about 110 quintals—approximately 11 metric tonnes—of glass per year.

In 2010, 18 m² of solar-thermal panels were installed. They reduced the gas required for space heating and cellar hot water by 80%. In summer 2016, the estate built a new warehouse and fitted its roof with 32 m² of photovoltaic panels, providing the capacity to generate 60–70% of the winery’s electricity.

Expansion through experimentation

As the cellar and business developed, the original three-wine range expanded to include additional reds, rosé and white wines. Research and microvinification trials brought both international varieties and lesser-known Piedmontese grapes into the estate’s work.

Production of varietal Chardonnay began in 2015. The wine was fermented and matured in wood and named “Lolly” for Loredana, who is particularly fond of the variety. The estate also became the first producer in the Langhe to vinify the overlooked indigenous Baratuciat variety on its own. Viognier was subsequently added as another white variety.

Family management

The property remains family-run. Loredana Addari and Nicola Argamante manage it together with their daughters Francesca and Vittoria, who also serve as contacts for visits and tastings.

The vineyards are managed through a certified eco-sustainable system compliant with Regulation (EEC) No 2078/92.

Low-impact plant-protection products are combined with natural organic substances for fertilization. Chemical fertilizers have not been used since the estate was founded. This approach has reduced vine vigour and canopy shading while encouraging the vines’ own defence mechanisms.

Vineyard management also aims to protect phytoseiid mites and respect both vine physiology and the wider environment. Chemical disease control is reserved for downy mildew and oidium, principally using copper- and sulfur-based products.

Grapes are harvested by hand into baskets. Because the cellar is positioned in the centre of the property, the time between picking and grape reception is kept short.

Cellar development

Production began in 1995 in a small disused barn converted for winemaking. A purpose-built cellar was erected in 2000 and enlarged in later years as output grew. Its central position within the estate limits the time hand-picked grapes remain in their harvest baskets before processing.

Red-grape vinification

Red grapes are destemmed and crushed before fermentation in stainless-steel vats. Fermentation and maceration are managed principally through manual pump-overs. The pomace is then gently pressed.

White-grape vinification

White grapes are pressed immediately after reception. Fermentation takes place in stainless-steel vats, although the estate also vinifies its varietal Chardonnay in wood.

Maturation

Maturation is adapted to the intended wine style. Fresh, fruit-led whites, rosé and reds designed for youthful drinking remain in stainless steel, preserving varietal character and freshness of aroma and flavour. More structured wines mature in wood. The type and dimensions of the wooden vessel are selected according to the objective for each wine; during maturation, the combination and transformation of polyphenols is intended to produce a smoother, more balanced structure.

Across the range, the vessels identified include stainless-steel vats, large Slavonian oak barrels, small French oak barrels and French-oak tonneaux.

Cellar sanitation, water and energy

Chemical products have been almost entirely replaced by high-pressure hot water for cleaning and sanitizing tanks, rooms and equipment. Since 2003, all cellar wastewater has passed through a natural phytopurification installation. The treated water can be reused for irrigation, while the process avoids odours, destroys pathogenic load and consumes less electricity than conventional purification.

Solar-thermal panels reduce the gas used for heating rooms and water, while photovoltaic panels can generate 60–70% of the cellar’s electricity.