Abrigo Giovanni Sori Crava Dolcetto di Diano d'Alba 2011
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Abrigo Giovanni is an authentic family-run winery and have been cultivating the land and promoting the products of the Langhe since 1968. The estate is named after its founder Giovanni Abrigo, who moved to Diano d’Alba from Treiso in 1968, purchasing the Crava farmhouse which now houses their historical cellar, as well as being their home. Giovanni and Maria managed what was then a typical Langa farm: raising Piedmontese cattle for beef and small farmyard animals, cultivating cereal crops, orchards, hazelnut trees and, of course, vineyards for the production of Dolcetto.
Towards the middle of the 1980s, their son Giorgio, having completed his studies in agronomy, became involved in the cultivation of the hazelnut groves and vineyards, which were planted in the areas of the estate with the exposure and most suitable soils. Paola, Giorgio’s wife, began working for the family business too, promoting the commercial development of the wines and the company identity, which, little by little, became what the Abrigo Giovanni Azienda Agricola known today.
The first acknowledgements and satisfactions, essential to their continued belief that they were heading in the right direction, soon arrived. Years of expansion followed: the reorganization of some parcels of land, with purchases and rentals of vineyards, led to the creation of new products, distributed and appreciated not only in Italy but on the export market too. A new semi-underground cellar was built for refining and ageing the wines, with a tasting room on the floor above, to welcome customers and tourists. With the arrival of the new millennium, their children began showing their first signs of interest in the world of agriculture and viticulture.
Giulio and Sergio graduated from the oenology school in Alba in 2013 and 2015 respectively. They share the very same passion that flows through the veins of their grandparents and parents and, as soon as they finished school, they became an active part of the estate’s staff. This gave a new boost and stimulus to Giorgio and Paola who have since invested considerable energy in the management of new vineyards and further expansion of the cellar. In 2013, work began on the cultivation of the vineyard which is in the municipality of Novello and is part of the “Ravera” Additional Geographical Mention “Ravera”. The splendid Nebbiolo vines that grow there are used for the production of the Barolo Ravera, which joins their other important labels.
The construction of the new ageing cellar was completed in 2019, uniting and completing the premises built by the different generations of the family. It is built with eco-sustainable materials to reduce waste and emissions, a new boiler will serve the entire estate and the houses, using the wood resulting from the pruning of the plants, and besides integrating perfectly with the landscape, it focuses on the natural control of humidity and temperature.
An easy drinking red with soft fruity flavors—but catchy tannins, Dolcetto is often enjoyed in its native Piedmont on a casual weekday night, or for apertivo (the canonical Piedmontese pre-dinner appetizer hour). Somm Secret—In most of Piedmont, easy-ripening Dolcetto is relegated to the secondary sites—the best of which are reserved for the king variety: Nebbiolo. However, in the Dogliani zone it is the star of the show, and makes a more serious style of Dolcetto, many of which can improve with cellar time.
An historic village situated right in between the famous regions of Barolo and Barbaresco, Alba is also the name for the larger wine region surrounding the village.
In a sense, “Alba” is a catch-all phrase, and includes the declassified Nebbiolo wines made in Barolo and Barbaresco, as well as the Nebbiolo grown just outside of these regions’ borders. In fact, Nebbiolo d’Alba is a softer, less tannic and more fruit-forward wine ready to drink within just a couple years of bottling. It is a great place to start if you want to begin to understand the grape. Likewise, the even broader category of Langhe Nebbiolo offers approachable and value-driven options as well.
Barbera, planted alongside Nebbiolo in the surrounding hills, and referred to as Barbera d’Alba, takes on a more powerful and concentrated personality compared to its counterparts in Asti.
Dolcetto is ubiquitous here and, known as Dolcetto d'Alba, can be found casually served alongside antipasti on the tables of Alba’s cafes and wine bars.
Not surprisingly, given its location, Alba is recognized as one of Italy’s premiere culinary destinations and is the home of the fall truffle fair, which attracts visitors from worldwide every year.