Adriano Marco e Vittorio Dolcetto d'Alba 2015
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The small craft winery run by Marco and Adriano Vittorio has won considerable fame among enthusiasts of Barbaresco and the typical wines of Piedmont. The family winegrowing tradition dates back to the start of the 1900s and the estate is located in the heart of the Langhe region, renowned for the production of great reds based on Nebbiolo among the most prestigious varieties in the Italian tradition. The vineyards are not far from Alba, famous for its white truffles, in San Rocco Seno d’Elvio. The Basarin vineyard, on the other hand, is in the municipality of Neive, one of the most important in the appellation. This Cru is ideally positioned, on a steep south-east facing slope with grey tufa stone marl soil. Adriano wines resemble the people who make them. They are frank, genuine and simple but incredibly profound and bound to tradition. They contain the quintessence of a magnificent terroir, full of charm and immense potential.
The estate is located in the heart of the Langhe region of Piedmont in the San Rocco Seno d’Elvio township. Marco and Vittorio Adriano cultivate vines and vinify exclusively with their own grapes to make wines that wholly reflect the terroir. The Adriano family began winemaking at the turn of the last century when Giuseppe, a tenant farmer began to cultivate vines. His son Aldo joined him in the enterprise and together they bought and planted a small estate.
In turn, the grandchildren Marco and Vittorio, cultivated the love for their land and its fruits, making the company grow: It is the 1994 harvest when they decide to wine their grapes by bottling the first bottles with the label Adriano. Nowadays, the estate encompasses 50 hectares, of which 10 hectares are devoted to hazelnuts, 10 are forested or lie fallow and 30 hectares are given over to Nebbiolo and Barbaresco, along with Barbera, Dolcetto, Freisa, Sauvignon Blanc and white Moscato vines.
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.