Cascina Albano was the original reason why I decided to make this trip, I had the first contact at the ProWein in Düsseldorf. They were the last ones of the whole fair i met and they gave me a bottle of Barbera d´Alba, which I enjoyed a couple of days later with my family, and all said: Wait a second, this is really good juice. So I decided to take my dad with a couple of cloth, an open mind and started a journey. It was about time in my life to increase my wine horizon and take a trip to a very well wine region which almost everybody knows. The home of the Barolo´s, Barbera, Barbarescos, Nebbiolo and the famous Alba truffle. Correct, it is the Piedmont in Italy.
It is easy to get overwhelmed by the region, if you drive through this fantastic region. Small little hills with an altitude of 300 to about 600 meters above the sea level connected with vineyards, which form a mountain range circling around the city of Alba. The mountain range is called “Langhe”, and on every hill top an ancient village like Barolo, Serralunga d´Alba, La Morra, Barbareso and more with old churches, castles, farms and wineries. If one drives through the Langhe mountains one thing is immediately clear: wine culture! In other words, all the rumors and stories you hear and see in movies or read in books, are true!
It is easy to get overwhelmed by the region, if you drive through this fantastic region. Small little hills with an altitude of 300 to about 600 meters above the sea level connected with vineyards, which form a mountain range circling around the city of Alba. The mountain range is called “Langhe”, and on every hill top an ancient village like Barolo, Serralunga d´Alba, La Morra, Barbareso and more with old churches, castles, farms and wineries. If one drives through the Langhe mountains one thing is immediately clear: wine culture! In other words, all the rumors and stories you hear and see in movies or read in books, are true!
After a short drive from our Hotel Langhe in Alba to Barbaresco with taking several stops taking pictures and videos (the normal touristic stuff) we were welcomed from Elisabetta Mosti (26) and Marco Vacca (27) from the Cascina Albano winery. This young couple are running a small winery at the hills of Barbaresco together with their father. Since they both studied Enology and Viticulture their English is very good and they offered us to have a look on their vineyard first and quickly realized that they do something different. The vineyard is directly next to the Winery and is called Alban, where the name of winery comes from, and Elisabetta explained with her glowing eyes that it means “the first hill which gets kissed by the sun”. Compared to other sites we saw from far this garden looks much greener then the browner/earthier sites across the hill. They do everything 100 percent Biodynamic, no pesticides, herbicides or anything like that. The space between the rows are green with grass, herbs, different flowers, cereals and other stuff. They also told that the others in the community are actually talking about them and think that they are some kind a “Hippies”, maybe someone should tell the them, that this is the way of doing it. Anyway, these young stars going their own way in believing in the power and energy of nature. Proudly stating, that they are doing everything by them self by hand no machine ever touches this soils only feet and hand, also Reiki and talk to their vines to get the positive energy is made on regular bases. They do give back everything to the vineyard like the pressed seeds and skins (Lees), while others sell it to distilleries to produce Grappa. A new wave of wine making in Piedmont for sure, were others in the world are doing biodynamic agriculture already in these regions seems not to be normal. But if you want to become a somebody in the Langhe region, I guess one needs to do something different. At the same time the maximum of Sulphite used is 14 mg per liter and is only added at the time of bottling, because Marco is as funny as it sound allergic to it, which is a good thing!!
As like others, these youngsters have the situation that all their Nebbiolo goes into Cooperatives in Barbaresco, which means they are not able to produce any wine with this famous grape and wine.
Going back to the winery with a lot of talking and input about their vision of growing grapes as natural as possible in all their vineyards they mentioned their sites: Albano, Ovello, Montefico, Prioca and Vicenciana. Please forgive for perhaps wrong spelling
At the same time, everything they buy on supplies for their finished product, are made in Italy except the Kork, the art on the bottles are from an Italien artist and the bottles are from around of Lago di Garda and everything is 100 percent for recycling to make it as easy as possible for the nature.
Facts:
Name: Cascina Albano
Winemaker: Marco Vacca
Existing since: 1978
Size: 7ha
Grapes grown: Dolcetto, Barbera, Nebbiolo, Arneis, Chardonnay, Freisa
Bottles produced: about 20 000
The wines are in general fresh and taste natural, however they introduced me into a new variety which I didn’t know before, Freisa! This grape variety is after a little research, high in acidity and tannins. Obviously a research this grape has a relation to Viogner (which is a white grape), however this grape is very resistant to disease and mildew and was famous after the Phylloxera time around the 19th century. That makes total sense to let it grow in a biodynamic vineyard which is not treated with pesticides.
As like others, these youngsters have the situation that all their Nebbiolo goes into Cooperatives in Barbaresco, which means they are not able to produce any wine with this famous grape and wine.
Going back to the winery with a lot of talking and input about their vision of growing grapes as natural as possible in all their vineyards they mentioned their sites: Albano, Ovello, Montefico, Prioca and Vicenciana. Please forgive for perhaps wrong spelling
At the same time, everything they buy on supplies for their finished product, are made in Italy except the Kork, the art on the bottles are from an Italien artist and the bottles are from around of Lago di Garda and everything is 100 percent for recycling to make it as easy as possible for the nature.
Facts:
Name: Cascina Albano
Winemaker: Marco Vacca
Existing since: 1978
Size: 7ha
Grapes grown: Dolcetto, Barbera, Nebbiolo, Arneis, Chardonnay, Freisa
Bottles produced: about 20 000
The wines are in general fresh and taste natural, however they introduced me into a new variety which I didn’t know before, Freisa! This grape variety is after a little research, high in acidity and tannins. Obviously a research this grape has a relation to Viogner (which is a white grape), however this grape is very resistant to disease and mildew and was famous after the Phylloxera time around the 19th century. That makes total sense to let it grow in a biodynamic vineyard which is not treated with pesticides.
And then some Tastings:
Perschers
A sparkling wine made after “method classic” with 60% Chardonnay and 40% Arneis, 36 month on the lees, zero Dosage/ Brut Natural, this sparkle surprisingly won 2014 as the best sparkling wine in Italy. Which came as a surprise to this little vineyard, but telling it with pride! Perschers is a Italien word for "It´s a joke", pretty serious for that!!
Aromas: Peaches and Brioche
Taste: It is bone dry but slightly fruitier then a Champagne brut natural, mild acid, very well integrated alcohol, stone fruit
Perschers
A sparkling wine made after “method classic” with 60% Chardonnay and 40% Arneis, 36 month on the lees, zero Dosage/ Brut Natural, this sparkle surprisingly won 2014 as the best sparkling wine in Italy. Which came as a surprise to this little vineyard, but telling it with pride! Perschers is a Italien word for "It´s a joke", pretty serious for that!!
Aromas: Peaches and Brioche
Taste: It is bone dry but slightly fruitier then a Champagne brut natural, mild acid, very well integrated alcohol, stone fruit
Langhe Arneis 2014
Aromas
Starfruit, ripe red apples, apricots
Flavours
Acid: medium
Sugar: dry
Associations: herbal, buttter, apricots, lychees
Body: medium
Aftertaste: medium
Minerality: stone fruit
Aromas
Starfruit, ripe red apples, apricots
Flavours
Acid: medium
Sugar: dry
Associations: herbal, buttter, apricots, lychees
Body: medium
Aftertaste: medium
Minerality: stone fruit
Dolcetto d´Alba 2014
Colour
Cherry red, slighly see thrue
Aromas
Very aromatic, raw cherry pops, sour cherries
Flavours
Acid: medium+
Sugar: Dry
Associations: Cherries, sour cherries
Body: medium -
Tannins: low
Aftertaste: fresh and pleaseant
Minerality: earthy
Colour
Cherry red, slighly see thrue
Aromas
Very aromatic, raw cherry pops, sour cherries
Flavours
Acid: medium+
Sugar: Dry
Associations: Cherries, sour cherries
Body: medium -
Tannins: low
Aftertaste: fresh and pleaseant
Minerality: earthy
Barbera d´Alba 2014
Colour
Dark red
Aromas
Blue Berries
Flavours
Acid: low and fresh
Sugar: Dry
Associations: Herbs, Cherries, Thyme, Blue Berries
Body: medium
Tannins: low but firm
Aftertaste: long
Minerality: Earthy
A simple straight Barbera for easy drinking which makes fun, we also tasted the 2015 and that was amazing more powerful and fruit driven can´t wait to get it!!
Colour
Dark red
Aromas
Blue Berries
Flavours
Acid: low and fresh
Sugar: Dry
Associations: Herbs, Cherries, Thyme, Blue Berries
Body: medium
Tannins: low but firm
Aftertaste: long
Minerality: Earthy
A simple straight Barbera for easy drinking which makes fun, we also tasted the 2015 and that was amazing more powerful and fruit driven can´t wait to get it!!
Langhe Freisa 2011
Colour
Rusty red
Aromas
Black tea, rusty nail, wet leather, straw, Black berries
Flavours
Acid: medium
Sugar: Dry
Associations: Spices, Black berries, plumps, dried fruit
Body: medium
Tannins: high, grip
Aftertaste: long and dry
Minerality: Earthy
My favorite so far, very complex grippy tannins, nice fruit, and a well balancing acidity followed by a very long and dry finish. Very well done!! 4 stars from me! I guess it is there answer on the famous Barbaresco for now!!
Colour
Rusty red
Aromas
Black tea, rusty nail, wet leather, straw, Black berries
Flavours
Acid: medium
Sugar: Dry
Associations: Spices, Black berries, plumps, dried fruit
Body: medium
Tannins: high, grip
Aftertaste: long and dry
Minerality: Earthy
My favorite so far, very complex grippy tannins, nice fruit, and a well balancing acidity followed by a very long and dry finish. Very well done!! 4 stars from me! I guess it is there answer on the famous Barbaresco for now!!
Barbera d´Alba 2012 Affinato i Legno
Colour
Blue Red
Aromas
Spices, Tobacco, Blue Berries, Rasberries
Flavours
Acid: low
Sugar: Dry
Associations: Blueberries, Black Berries, sweet spice, complex
Body: Full
Tannins: soft
Aftertaste: elegant
Minerality: Earthy
This one is aged one year in oak as the name says, 50% new French and 50% in first and second use. This gives the possibility of micro oxidation, concentration and much more complexity. A pleasant Barbera with a lot of fun and a great accompany to food and afterwards. Absolutely loving it and get 5 stars from my point of view
Colour
Blue Red
Aromas
Spices, Tobacco, Blue Berries, Rasberries
Flavours
Acid: low
Sugar: Dry
Associations: Blueberries, Black Berries, sweet spice, complex
Body: Full
Tannins: soft
Aftertaste: elegant
Minerality: Earthy
This one is aged one year in oak as the name says, 50% new French and 50% in first and second use. This gives the possibility of micro oxidation, concentration and much more complexity. A pleasant Barbera with a lot of fun and a great accompany to food and afterwards. Absolutely loving it and get 5 stars from my point of view
Rose: This is a Rosé, but even after 2 hours getting to know each other they won´t tell me what it is, I do still try to get the grape varieties, however there was some cemetery fermentation, a little glue smell like at an orange wine or amphora wine, the taste was complex. Fruit driven like a Rosé but austere, low in acid, dry, the color was not really Rosé more like orange. Interesting nobody except of these two knows what it is, not even Marcos father knows it. The curiosity is killing me but it was a great Rosé/orange/amphora or whatever you want to call it. I will not tell more about this wine until Marcco and Elisabetta tell me what it is............ but i guess i have to wait forever and you just have to try it yourself and tell me what it is hahahahaha
aWhat I do like is the labels on the wines bottles are different than the other serious looking labels from the Langhe Region. I cannot remember seeing a modern colorful label like this on the whole trip in Piedmont. The conclusion is that I am happy to see, that this young couple is going their path and do not care what other people think. Fresh vibrant wines are the result with an innovative attitude compared to the traditional wineries from the Langhe region. I think that they are on a good way to establish them self in a very difficult market. However, the attitude, love and respect towards the nature in the vineyard is the key in Cascina Albano with the background and the knowledge for the wine making, they will go the path of success. Keep up the great work and Fatto con Amore my friends!!