Cascina La Zerba

History

Barbera before the acquisition

Barbera was already being produced at Volpedo well before the local wines obtained DOC status. Around the cascina stood an old Barbera vineyard that had subsequently been abandoned and neglected.

2003: acquisition and recovery of the old vineyard

After years of negotiations, Carlo Volpi acquired Cascina La Zerba in Volpedo in 2003, fulfilling an ambition previously held by his father. The initial plan was to remove the derelict Barbera vineyard and replant it. Carlo’s friend and oenologist Giuliano Noè instead encouraged him to rehabilitate the existing vines.

The vineyard was then restored at an estimated age of 50–60 years. Approximately 80% of its original vines were preserved, retaining the established plant material and the characteristics associated with the historic site.

2005: the first Timorasso planting

Two years after the acquisition, Carlo Volpi and Giuliano Noè carefully selected land suited to Timorasso and planted the estate’s first vineyard of this historic native variety of the Tortonese area. Further plantings followed, bringing the estate’s Timorasso area to approximately 4 ha in 2022.

2015: complete organic conversion

In 2015, all vineyard production at Cascina La Zerba completed conversion to certified organic farming under ICEA. The estate subsequently developed a vineyard system centred on integrated pest management, mechanical weed control, permanent vegetation between rows, green manure and habitat for pollinating insects.

2022–2023: hospitality at the cascina

During 2022, the old hayloft was completely renovated to create a tasting room and retail area among the Barbera and Timorasso vineyards. The project specified reclaimed materials, bio-construction principles, a photovoltaic installation rated at 16 kW and storage batteries rated at 30 kWh. The new facility was conceived as a multipurpose venue with a tasting room, small kitchen and meeting spaces. It subsequently opened for tastings, wine courses, small events, presentations and team-building activities.

Cascina La Zerba now comprises 10 ha of vineyard together with a fruit orchard, functional uncultivated areas and adjoining woodland. It serves as both the Volpi family’s agricultural base at Volpedo and a hospitality venue intended to connect its wines with the historical, artistic and cultural heritage of Volpedo and the Colli Tortonesi.

Before DOC recognitionBarbera was already being produced at Volpedo; an old Barbera vineyard later survived around the cascina in an abandoned and neglected condition.

2003After years of negotiations, Carlo Volpi acquired Cascina La Zerba, fulfilling an ambition held by his father.

2003Carlo Volpi abandoned the initial plan to remove and replant the old Barbera vineyard after oenologist Giuliano Noè recommended rehabilitating it.

2003The 50–60-year-old Barbera vineyard was restored, preserving approximately 80% of its original vines.

2005Carlo Volpi and Giuliano Noè selected a suitable site and established Cascina La Zerba’s first Timorasso vineyard.

2015All vineyard production completed conversion to ICEA-certified organic farming.

2022Successive plantings brought the Timorasso vineyard area to approximately 4 ha.

2022The old hayloft was completely renovated to accommodate a tasting room and retail area, with reclaimed materials and on-site photovoltaic generation planned for the project.

2023The new tasting facility was scheduled to begin welcoming visitors among the Timorasso and Barbera vineyards.

Terroir

Cascina La Zerba lies at Volpedo in the Colli Tortonesi, within the north-eastern part of the province of Alessandria. The estate’s vineyards occupy hilly ground at approximately 250 m above sea level.

Both the historic Barbera site and the Timorasso vineyards are associated with calcareous clay soils. The cultivated landscape is complemented by a fruit orchard, functional uncultivated areas and woodland adjoining the vines, creating several different habitats within and around the vineyard holding.

Winemaking

Historic-vine recoveryApproximately 80% of the original vines in the 50–60-year-old Barbera vineyard were preserved during its 2003 restoration.

Certified organic farmingThe entire vineyard holding has been certified organic by ICEA since 2015.

Integrated pest managementVine protection excludes pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers and includes the use of beneficial fungi.

Mechanical weed controlSpontaneous growth around the vine stocks is removed mechanically, while the inter-rows remain grassed.

Green manureMixed crops are sown between rows in autumn and incorporated in spring to nourish and structure the soil.

Cement and oak maturationEstate Timorasso is matured in cement, while the old-vine Barbera programme includes large oak vessels and French-oak barriques.

Cascina La Zerba’s vineyard production has been fully organic and certified by ICEA since 2015. The approach is intended to protect the local environment and preserve biodiversity.

Integrated pest management is used to defend the vines against harmful organisms without pesticides, herbicides or chemical fertilizers. Beneficial fungi are employed as part of the protection strategy against fungal threats.

Functional uncultivated areas outside the vine rows provide habitat for pollinating insects. Biodiversity is further supported by an orchard containing peach, apricot, apple and mulberry trees, as well as woodland adjoining the vineyards. The woodland receives spring vegetation management to keep it orderly and clean. Native multiclonal plant material is favoured to maintain diversity.

Spontaneous vegetation growing directly among the vine stocks is removed mechanically rather than with herbicides. The spaces between rows remain grassed, with mowing staggered over time. Green manure is also practiced: several crop species are sown between the rows in autumn and incorporated into the soil in spring, returning nutrients and improving soil structure without chemical inputs or invasive cultivation.

Grapes from Cascina La Zerba enter the Volpi family’s centralized production system in Tortona, where grape processing, maturation, bottling and packaging have been consolidated since the opening of the renewed vinification facility in 2019.

The restored old-vine Barbera is vinified as a single variety. Its maturation includes large-format vessels and French-oak barriques. Timorasso from the estate is matured in cement. Production operations follow defined processing protocols and are supported by systematic analytical controls throughout the process for product quality and safety.

Philosophy

The estate’s guiding idea is to strengthen the connection between its wines and their place of origin. For Carlo Volpi, this means promoting not only the vineyards but also the historical, artistic and cultural heritage of the Colli Tortonesi and Volpedo, using Cascina La Zerba as an agricultural and hospitality base from which visitors can encounter the area.

The decision to rehabilitate the abandoned Barbera vineyard rather than replace it reflects an emphasis on conserving established vines and the character of the historic site. The later selection of land for Timorasso pursued the same aim: matching a native Tortonese variety to ground considered capable of expressing it clearly.

Marco Volpi frames organic production as an environmental commitment arising from attachment to the territory and the desire to protect biodiversity. In practice, this principle extends beyond certification to reduced chemical intervention, mechanically managed vegetation, green manure, native multiclonal material and the maintenance of orchards, uncultivated areas and woodland as complementary habitats.