Cordero di Montezemolo Langhe Arneis 2013
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Since 1340, 19 generations one after another, have managed the Monfalletto property in the town of La Morra, the center of the production of Barolo wine.
Even today, the property is entirely family-run. Giovanni Cordero di Montezemolo and his children Elena and Alberto are the protagonists of this millennium.
The historical single-body vineyard area of 28 hectares (69 acres), rare for the area, extends over all sides of the hill. The land has always been cultivated with the various local varieties, selected and distinctly planted according to sun exposure, type of soil and the altitude.
In 1965 Paolo Cordero di Montezemolo obtained an important lot of old vines in the center of the famous Villero area in Catiglione Falletto. From this 2-hectares vineyard we pick the grapes for Barolo Enrico VI.
Over the years, further acquisitions and long-term leasing of vineyards have been made, not far from the winery headquarter and in the area of Alba and Roero.
Currently, the total vineyard area on which grapes are grown for the production of all Cordero di Montezemolo wines is 51 hectares (126 acres).
Yielding a dry and subtly scented wine, Arneis is the star white grape of Piedmont. Though the grape has been local to Roero since the 1400s, it didn’t experience real popularity until the 1980s when local demand for white wine exploded. Somm Secret—A few key Roero producers are also focusing on exploring the ageability of high quality Arneis. It is only grown outside of Piedmont to a very limited extent.
Set upon a backdrop of the visually stunning Alps, the enchanting and rolling hills of Piedmont are the source of some of the country’s longest-lived and most sought-after red wines. Vineyards cover a great majority of the land area—especially in Barolo—with the most prized sites at the top hilltops or on south-facing slopes where sunlight exposure is maximized. Piedmont has a continental climate with hot, humid summers leading to cold winters and precipitation year-round. The reliable autumnal fog provides a cooling effect, especially beneficial for Nebbiolo, Piedmont’s most prestigious variety.
In fact, Nebbiolo is named exactly for the arrival of this pre-harvest fog (called “nebbia” in Italian), which prolongs cluster hang time and allows full phenolic balance and ripeness. Harvest of Nebbiolo is last among Piedmont's wine varieties, occurring sometime in October. This grape is responsible for the exalted Piedmont wines of Barbaresco and Barolo, known for their ageability, firm tannins and hallmark aromas of tar and roses. Nebbiolo wines, despite their pale hue, pack a pleasing punch of flavor and structure; the best examples can require about a decade’s wait before they become approachable. Barbaresco tends to be more elegant in style while Barolo is more powerful. Across the Tanaro River, the Roero region, and farther north, the regions of Gattinara and Ghemme, also produce excellent quality Nebbiolo.
Easy-going Barbera is the most planted grape in Piedmont, beloved for its trademark high acidity, low tannin and juicy red fruit. Dolcetto, Piedmont’s other important red grape, is usually ready within a couple of years of release.
White wines, while less ubiquitous here, should not be missed. Key Piedmont wine varieties include Arneis, Cortese, Timorasso, Erbaluce and the sweet, charming Muscat, responsible for the brilliantly recognizable, Moscato d'Asti.