Barolo Vigna Castellero Riserva DOCG

Vineyard and terroir

The Nebbiolo grows in the Castellero vineyard in Barolo, at 270 m above sea level. The site faces southwest and has limestone-rich loam and clay soils. The first vines were planted in 1978, and the vineyard is farmed organically.

Grapes

The original plantings were established through mass selection from old Nebbiolo clones.

Vinification

The grapes are harvested by hand in the first half of October, then sorted, destemmed and gently pressed. Fermentation and skin maceration take place in 50 hl oak vats at a controlled temperature of 30 °C for 15–30 days.

Ageing

The wine matures for 30 months in 15–30 hl French oak barrels, followed by at least one year in bottle in the winery’s cellars.

Vintage notes

In 2009, heavy winter snow and spring rain replenished depleted groundwater reserves before a hot, dry summer. Very little rain fell from May to September, and some parts of Piemonte experienced challenging conditions despite a generally favourable growing season across much of Italy. Nebbiolo ripened unevenly: some bunches reached phenolic maturity quickly, while others lagged well behind. The vintage nevertheless produced excellent Nebbiolo, Dolcetto and Barbera, while the strongest Barolos combined concentrated ripe fruit with moderately balanced acidity.