Schiavenza Langhe Nebbiolo

Schiavenza Langhe Nebbiolo

WHY WE LOVE IT

  • Fruit manually harvested from their vineyards in Serralunga d’Alba. Vineyard sites consisting of calcareous and tuffaceous soils

Varietal Composition: 100% Nebbiolo

Elaboration: The Nebbiolo macerates about 25 days on the skins. Fermentation takes place in cement vats with indigenous yeast and lasts for 10-12 days at 25-30 °C. Pumping over and airing twice a day with temperature check. Frequent racking. The Nebbiolo sees a minimum of three years in 2,000- to 4,000-liter Slavonian oak barrels

Tasting Notes: Dark red with purple tints in color. Translucent in appearance. Black fruit and floral aromas followed by leathery and gripping tannins. Despite its tannic structure, the wine’s fruity flavors of cherry and raspberries, supported with aromas of rose and anise, always seem to shine through.

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PRODUCER BACKGROUND

The Alessandria family has been farming this Serralunga property since 1956.

The estate and surrounding area were formerly part of the Opera Pia Barolo (a castle that is similar to Burgundy’s Hospice du Beaune – Part educational institution and part hospital), whose vineyards were worked by sharecroppers.  The local dialect for sharecropper is “schiavenza,” hence the origin on the estate name.

A name like Schiavenza should give one a clue as to the style here; this is no modern “barrique” aged Barolo estate – Wines here are fermented with native yeast in cement cisterns and then aged in traditional Slovenian botti. Vineyard holdings have expanded over time, and the estate is made up of 8 hectares split between Serralunga and Monforte.  These include the heralded crus Prapò, Bricco Cerretta, and Broglio. No pesticides or herbicides are used, and all field work is coordinated with the cycles of the moon.

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