Maioli: storia di un vigneto particolare

Phylloxera reached Piedmont in the early twentieth century, killing vines by attacking their roots, while the First World War removed much of the labor needed to maintain the vineyards. The adoption of resistant American rootstocks and grafting provided a way forward.

Angelo, born in 1906, learned field grafting, established a nursery to experiment and sold already-grafted young vines. In 1936 he acquired a promising site from Mario, nicknamed Majulin, and planted Dolcetto. Maioli—Majoeu in Piedmontese—was experimental for its period: the rootstock and Dolcetto clone changed every five rows.

The resulting diversity continues to give the vineyard unusual aromatic and flavor complexity. Since 1996, its Dolcetto has been bottled separately in what is now a Dogliani Superiore.