Ruchè Castagnole di Monferrato “Castelleto Montemagno” 2017

The story of Ferraris winery began when great-grandfather Luigi went to America and found gold during the famous "gold rush" in California. Thanks to her income, great-grandmother Teresa, who remained in Italy, had the opportunity to buy, in 1921, a house in Castagnole Monferrato, headquarters of the first Ferraris winery. Luca Ferraris today runs the winery with 34 hectares planted in the heart of Castagnole Monferrato. Luca's ambition has since taken the family business to new heights.

This cuvée is made from Ruchè , a little-known grape variety from the town of Monferrato , in the south of Piedmont. The grapes come from a low-yielding vineyard characterized by very clayey limestone marl. After the manual harvest, fermentation takes place in stainless steel vats then the wine ages for 12 months in oak barrels. This wine reveals notes of jammed strawberry , violet , wilted rose , morello cherry , raspberry , white pepper , leather , licorice and nutmeg . The palate is structured, while retaining finesse and elegance. The finish is supple and persistent.

Ah Italy, what a beautiful hedonistic country, people of the Dolce Vita, but what difficulty in understanding its wine organization! The key to understanding the naming system in Italy is to think of it as several small countries rather than a single homogeneous country because each region has its own naming system. Italy can, however, give wine lovers a multitude of wines with varied and unique flavors and styles, as well as bottles filled with surprise and creativity. Unfortunately, it also produces a large quantity of soulless and characterless wines which are sold under their most useful and commercially reputable name: Pinot Grigio, Chianti, Valpolicella, Lambrusco, Prosecco and many others... But let's talk a little history, viticulture in Italy dates back to ancient times and it originated in Greece. The Etruscans would have planted vines and Greek immigrants would have improved and modified the grape varieties who subsequently called this country "Oenotria": the country of wine. At the height of the Roman Empire, wine held an important place in daily life and certain regions already stood out for the excellence of their product. The Romans also established numerous vineyards in Europe, leaving an indelible testimony to their invasion. Today Italy is the largest wine producer in the world, ahead of France. Italy is divided into three climatic areas. The northern mountains experience a fairly harsh mountain climate. The “middle of the boot” plain is the domain of the continental climate with cold winters and hot, stormy summers. In the "southern part of the Italian boot" the Mediterranean climate reigns with very hot and very dry summers without forgetting the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. In summary, Italy produces wines of great variety thanks to its 200 different grape varieties, many of which originate from their lands. It is a country just as complex as its wines which deserve to be explored!