From: Roero, Piedmont, Italy
Varietal: Nebbiolo
Notes: Winemaker Notes: A noble and sincere wine with aromas of violets and spring flowers like the sensation of a breathless jaunt in the flowering fields in our childhood. Its taste is a charming dance between the full character of Nebbiolo and the delicate elegance typical of the Roero territory. Intense and pleasant on the palate, it has a fine, clear, and tannic structure that leaves long-lasting emotions behind it.
The estate: The Roero district is located in the lower-altitude, rounded, sandy hills north of the Tanaro River and northwest of the Langhe. Young Nebbiolo and Barbera from this region have a particularly fresh and lively character. In 2001, Matteo Correggia tragically passed away just as he entered Piedmont's winemaking elite. With the help of Giorgio Rivetti (of the famous La Spinetta estate), Matteo's wife Ornella took over the estate, carrying on her husband's passionate desire to expand the reputation of the Roero. The elegantly powerful cult wine Roero "Rocche d'Ampsej" comes from a tiny plot of 50 to 60-yr-old Nebbiolo vines, and is the culmination of Matteo’s life’s work. Barbera "Bricco Marun" is varietally pure, vibrant, and concentrated, with intense personality. Nebbiolo "Val dei Preti" is also classic Roero: from 30-year-old Nebbiolo vines planted in three hectares of sandy-limestone soil, the wine ages 12 months in new French oak. "Anthos" is the estate's dry, still Brachetto, a great value with a nose of rose petals and licorice, while the Arneis, an incredible summertime thirst-quencher, has an ever-growing following. Correggia's Nebbiolo "Roero," aged for 12 months in used barriques, and an additional 8 months in stainless steel, provides access to their stunning line-up at an incredible value!
The estate defines its agricultural management as "natural and sustainable whenever possible". Only manure is used as fertilizer. Spontaneous cover crops (grass cover) are left between the rows of vines, the grass is mowed and the soil is tilled so to work the plant substance (green manure) into the ground. No chemical weed-control products are used. There is a very limited use of SO2 in the wine.
The area: Even to this day, the Roero folklore lives on about witchcraft lurking behind its dramatic contours and obscure woods—but these stories only add to the region’s allure and charm. Actually today Roero winemakers are some of the most astute and motivated in Piedmont. While the white Arneis has attracted global attention for some time, now Roero Nebbiolo wines (elevated to the same DOCG status as Barolo and Barbaresco) are making a name for themselves. Keep an eye on any labeled with the vineyard, Valmaggiore, as Barolo producers have been investing here for years. If you’re looking for hidden gems, this is your region!
