AZIENDA AGRICOLA MICHELE REVERDITO

The wines here just get better and better, and the estate increases little by little as Michele and Sabina Reverdito take advantage of their ‘young vigneron’ status to plant/acquire more land. We are thrilled to be offering the first Barolo from their almost half hectare of the La Serra vineyard in La Morra, immediately below Roberto Voerzio’s vines: SE facing and 380 masl. Michele’s very first vintage was in 2000: until that year, his father had always sold his grapes to neighbours – he considered himself a farmer and not a winemaker. Now they have 20 hectares of vineyards, at altitudes of between 300 and 420 metres. The age of the vines ranges between six and thirty years. The principal varietal is Nebbiolo, but there is also Barbera and Verduno Pelaverga. The soils are a mixture of limestone, sand, and limestone & clay. Michele has planted twenty seven different varieties of grasses in the rows, to increase the nitrogen content of the soil when they are ploughed back in. Each Barolo comes from a specific area. Their exposition and altitude are as follows: Castagni (La Morra), SE facing & 320 masl*, due north of La Morra; Ascheri (La Morra), W facing & 250 masl, west of Castagni; Bricco Cogni (La Morra), SW facing & 280 masl, just north of Ascheri; Badarina (Serralunga d’Alba), SE facing 420 masl and in the south-eastern quarter of Serralunga.

Simane whence comes their Langhe Nebbiolo could be sold as Barolo San Giacomo, but Michele considers the soil to be too heavily clay to produce a good Barolo. Barriques are no longer used. Everything is now aged in a mixture of tonneau (500 or 700 litres) and300 0 or 4000 litres botte. The wines are aged for between one year and thirty months, depending on the vineyard and the vintage. Dante Scaglione is their consultant oenologist.

Nascetta (a rare, indigenous Piemontese varietal) has all the crisp minerality of a Pouilly-Fumé with delicious hints of white flowers. If you’re a fan of Lyrarakis’ Dafni, you’ll love Nascetta! Verduno Pelaverga is pale orangey red, almost a Rosato. Light bodied with bright red fruit, strawberries and pomegranate. Slightly chilled, this is absolute nectar – redolent of Pinot Noir, and a great partner for spicy dishes.

Barbera d’Alba DOC Superiore Delia comes from southwest facing vineyards at 250 m.a.s.l. The grapes are destemmed, and fermentation is in stainless steel. The wine is aged for twenty-four months in 20hl casks. It is soooo drinkable!

www.reverdito.it/