Putting Monferrato on the Map
Despite not being as well known as it's neighbouring Langhe region (home of Barolo and Barbaresco), Monferrato remains one of Italy's most important wine regions. The focus here is on different grape varieties such as Barbera, Grignolino and Moscato and as land is slightly cheaper than the Langhe, it has attracted some young, energetic winemakers who are looking to freshen things up.
We have 3 new wines that can transport you to the rolling hills of this region courtesy of of Tenuta Foresto, Cascina Tavijn and Cascina val Liberata who are all helping put Monferrato on the map.
PauPau 2022 is the region's answer to Beaujolais with a Dolcetto made using the same carbonic maceration technique. Winemaker Francesco has become a close friend in recent years and regular customers will be aux fait with his wines. We have visited his beautiful vineyards in Nizza a few times now and he has provided us with our own Pet Nat which we hope to bring back this year.
Just down the road is Nadia Verrua who has earned herself a reputation for producing lively and rustic wines from native grape varieties. Bandita 2021 is now quite an iconic cuvée which harnesses the power of the Barbera grape but also offers bright, balancing acidity. A warming wine much needed for these late days of Winter.
Cascina Val Liberata is the project of Dierdre O'Brien & Maurizio Caffer who have dedicated themselves to championing rare, indigenous grape varieties, many of which have been on the verge of extinction. Groove 2023 is an example of this, using the little known Slarina variety alongside Nebbiolo to create a light, chillable red with juicy fruit and a smokey complexity. Definitely one of the first bottles we will be cracking when the sun returns!
Happy drinking!