Winemaker Notes
The story of the Gagliardo family is a testament to a legacy of knowledge and expertise, first cultivated in Piedmont's famed Langhe zone in 1847. A century and a half later, a determined young man named Gianni Gagliardo carried that torch, establishing the winery as we know it today in 1973. Now, the sixth generation—his sons Stefano, Alberto, and Paolo—are the devoted guardians of the estate, deeply involved in every step of the process of the original family project.
Their work is an art form rooted in a deep understanding of the land, the renowned Barolo region in Piedmont. Over the years, the Gagliardo family has carefully acquired vineyards throughout all the Barolo region the estate now boasts 8 Barolo Cru vineyards in 5 villages, spanning approximately 26 acres in Langhe and 23 acres in Roero, producing some of the finest wines in the area.
The Gagliardo are masters of their terroir, and their philosophy is to allow each individual vineyard to speak for itself. This dedication allows them to express the truest character of the Nebbiolo grape, creating complex but not complicated wines that are a pure, elegant, and balanced expression of their unique origins. For the Gagliardo family, every single vine is important, every single parcel is unique, and every detail makes the difference.
The family's pioneering spirit extends beyond their iconic Barolos. They have also been at the forefront of a major project, pioneering the revival of the inland Vermentino, the Favorita, a classic Italian white grape. This commitment to both the established and the forgotten speaks to their unwavering pursuit of purity and expression in every single wine they create and their deep connection to the purest Italian roots.
Responsible for some of the most elegant and age-worthy wines in the world, Nebbiolo, named for the ubiquitous autumnal fog (called nebbia in Italian), is the star variety of northern Italy’s Piedmont region. Grown throughout the area, as well as in the neighboring Valle d’Aosta and Valtellina, it reaches its highest potential in the Piedmontese villages of Barolo, Barbaresco and Roero. Outside of Italy, growers are still very much in the experimentation stage but some success has been achieved in parts of California. Somm Secret—If you’re new to Nebbiolo, start with a charming, wallet-friendly, early-drinking Langhe Nebbiolo or Nebbiolo d'Alba.
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.