Piedmont

The grandfather's vineyard

The Colla vineyard in Vezza d'Alba belonged to the grandfather of Fabrizio Battaglino, and it played a key role when the Roero was recognised as a DOCG. Fabrizio grew up in the Roero, picks by hand and vinifies every plot on its own.

Roero or Langhe

Barolo and Barbaresco grow in the Langhe, south of the Tanaro, on heavier marl. North of the river lies the Roero, with lighter soils of marine origin. Nebbiolo from there is approachable sooner and costs much less than Barolo. If you want to drink Nebbiolo young, you are better off in the Roero than in the Langhe.

What Fabrizio bottles

• Roero Arneis San Michele 2024: Arneis from the San Michele site in Canale, fermented for 15 days at 18 degrees in steel, with no malolactic fermentation and no oak.
• Barbera d'Alba Superiore Munbèl 2023: Barbera from Vezza d'Alba, twelve months in barriques with about 30 percent new wood, 15 percent alcohol.
• Nebbiolo d'Alba Paradi' 2023: Nebbiolo from the Paradi' site, fermented for 15 days in steel, then twelve months in barrique.
• Roero Riserva Colla 2020: Nebbiolo from the family vineyard, 24 months in new Allier oak barriques, 2,500 bottles. Battaglino recommends serving it at 18 degrees.

Alongside these come the Arneis Bastia, the Riserva Bastia with brief skin contact and six months in barrique, the Roero Colla with 18 months in wood, and a rosé from red Roero grapes.

Sand and limestone

Paradi' and Bastia sit on coarse sand and sandstone, Colla and the Barbera plots around Vezza d'Alba on calcareous soil, and San Michele in Canale on a mix of limestone and sand. Because Fabrizio raises each site separately, the soils stay recognisable: the Nebbiolo from the sand at Paradi' smells of roses and spice, while the Nebbiolo from the limestone at Colla is denser.