History
Family foundations — 1960
The family farm dates to 1960. Its identity developed from the values passed to Eraldo Viberti by his parents: respect for the land, personal involvement in vineyard work and continuity with established farming traditions. The family cultivated six hectares in the Langhe, principally with Dolcetto, Barbera and Nebbiolo.
Establishment of the winery — 1987
The winemaking operation started in 1987. That year also marked the first production of Barolo, Barbera d’Alba “Vigna Clara” and Dolcetto d’Alba “Vigna Vaglio.” Eraldo Viberti assumed responsibility for the wines as winemaker. The estate’s production was subsequently recorded at approximately 26,000 bottles, based on six owned hectares and one additional rented hectare at that time.
Development of the Nebbiolo range — 2000–2010
Langhe Nebbiolo entered production in 2000. A Barolo Riserva followed with its first vintage in 2005, Barolo “Rocchettevino” in 2006 and Barolo “Roncaglie” in 2010. These additions expanded the Nebbiolo portfolio from the original Barolo into vineyard- and maturation-specific expressions.
Expansion into new sites and varieties — 2021–2026
Barolo Fossati was first produced in 2021. The estate extended its activity to Verduno with the first Barolo del comune di Verduno in 2023. Piemonte Viognier followed in 2024, adding a white variety to a historically red-wine-focused estate. Verduno Pelaverga entered production in 2026, further broadening the range through a vineyard in Verduno.
Terroir
The vineyards lie in the Langhe, principally around Santa Maria in La Morra, with additional sites in La Morra and Verduno. Documented elevations extend from 250 to 450 metres above sea level, while exposures range from north-west through east to south and south-east.
Tufaceous and clay marls recur throughout the documented sites. Vigna Clara occupies a north-west-facing position at 250 metres; the Viognier and Verduno Pelaverga sites face east at approximately 280 and 300 metres respectively; the Langhe Nebbiolo vineyard faces east at 350 metres. The principal Barolo vineyards around Santa Maria and Verduno are predominantly south- or south-east-facing at approximately 350 metres. Fossati is the highest documented site, with a southern exposure at 450 metres.
Winemaking
Eraldo Viberti works personally in the vineyards, where manual labour forms the core of the annual cycle. The work extends from winter pruning through summer pruning. Summer canopy work gives each bunch adequate space, while thinning regulates the amount of fruit retained by each vine and supports even ripening.
Only organic fertilizer is used for vine nutrition. The estate maintains permanent or spontaneous grass cover. Under the rows, vegetation is controlled mechanically with an inter-vine implement and manually with a hoe, avoiding herbicides.
Yield control varies by site and variety. Documented yields range from 40 to 70 quintals per hectare, with per-vine targets commonly around 1–1.5 kg. All documented harvests are manual. Picking begins in September for Barbera, Pelaverga, Viognier and Dolcetto, while Nebbiolo is generally harvested from October onward.
Winemaking begins after the manual harvest. The grapes are pressed, then fermented in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks. The skins remain in contact with the fermenting wine to extract their constituent compounds. Documented fermentation temperatures are generally 28–30°C, rising to 29–32°C for Barbera. A refrigeration system controls temperature.
Fermentation and maceration are adjusted to the variety, vineyard and vintage. Documented regimes range from two days for the white variety and seven to fourteen days for shorter red-wine macerations, up to 30 or 40 days for longer-macerated Nebbiolo lots. Malolactic fermentation is used throughout the documented range.
Maturation also varies according to variety and intended expression. Steel is used for Dolcetto and Pelaverga and forms part of the Viognier élevage. Small wooden barrels, barriques, tonneaux and large barrels are used elsewhere. Documented maturation periods extend from six or eight months in steel or mixed steel-and-barrique élevage to 12–15 months in small wood and 24–36 months for Barolo categories. The Riserva receives additional bottle refinement.
Most documented wines undergo no dedicated stabilization treatment beyond racking or natural settling. Light clarification is used for the white wine and was also documented for Dolcetto. Fermentation and maturation times are not treated as fixed formulas: Eraldo Viberti adjusts them in response to the vintage, grape variety and individual vineyard.
Philosophy
The estate’s guiding values come from Eraldo Viberti’s parents: respect for the land and for work rooted in tradition. Quality begins with personal, predominantly manual vineyard care, limited yields and close attention to ripening.
Eraldo Viberti describes his cellar practice as an extension of what he learned when young. Rather than impose an identical recipe every year, he listens to the character of the vintage and adjusts fermentation and maturation to the variety and vineyard. Cellar equipment is used as a means of supporting precision at each stage while preserving the relationship between the finished wine, its growing site and the conditions of the year.