Italy > Piedmont > Roero & Langhe > Tenuta Carretta
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ROERO & LANGHE
Langhe is a small tongue (Langa, Langhe) of land extending south from the Tanaro river and nestling into a curve of the Apennines of the southernmost Piedmont. Across the Tanaro is Roero, a hilly region just north of the small city of Alba, capital of the Piemontese white truffle territory.
In the Langhe the landscape is characterized by marly hills, straight mountainsides with rounded ridges, and valleys with parallel straight-line courses. Viticulture is generally concentrated in the lower (Bassa) Langa. The Alta Langa (upper Langhe) tends to be more pasture and hazelnut grove, prime territory for the famed white truffles of Alba.
Roero’s topography is more jumbled, with steeper and rougher slopes, deep and straight valleys, sometimes with sloping peaks and steep, bare rock faces. Cultivatioin is a mix of vines, hazelnut and fruit orchards, as well as strawberry and vegetable gardens what alternate with impenetrable woods along the ridgelines.
The soils of Roero are younger, and generally softer and sandier than Langhe’s limestone marls.
The unifying element of the Langhe and Roero is its geology, defined by a series of marly-sandy sedimentary debris and sedimentary rocks, deposited mostly in the marine environment of the middle-upper oligocene period (around 30-35 million years ago).
The Langhe and its viticultural landscape was included on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list in 2014.
The sandy soils of Roero
TENUTA CARRETTA
Founded in 1470, Tenuta Carretta is one of the most important estates in the Langhe/Roero district. The slightly murky early history traces to a Domina Careta, a noblewoman who appears to have owned the estate in the 1300’s, but the 1470 date stems from a sharecropper’s deed from 1467 allocating half the harvest to the lord of Piobesi and the other half to 3
Eduardo Miroglio, current owner of Tenuta Carretta
brothers, who gained rights to harvest the cascina Caretta. Som 350 years later, the estate passed to the Counts of Roero, who after 120 years passed it to the Veglia family in 1932. Some 50 years after that, it passed to the Miroglio family, wealthy textile manufacturers in Alba, who continue to own the estate which operates under Managing Director Davide Chiarle. Recently the family has expanded both its textile business and its wine interests into Bulgaria, where the Edoardo Miroglio winery has produced a range of still and sparkling wines from the ancient region of Thrace since 2002.
“One of the key players in the Roero area’s recent revolution.
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Tenuta Carretta is based in Piobese d’Alba, Roero; where the estate buildings are surrounded by just under 35 hectares of vineyards. To the south of the Tanaro, the estate owns another 45 hectares of vineyards for a total of 80 hectares. Many of their finest wines come from monopole vineyards- historically recognized vineyard sites wholly owned by Carretta.
The domaine produces a full range of wines, including a single-vineyard Arneis Riserva, a lovely Dolcetto Superiore (also single-vineyard) and a Barbaresco from the Cascino Bordino vineyards, and several others. Vineyards are managed using largely organic practices, with minimal chemical interventions.
They have been instrumental in the revival of Arneis, a classic variety of the Cuneo region that was all but forgotten by the 1970’s. Light, crisp and aromatic and a superb varietal to pair with lighter, more elegant fare.
Their flagship though is a Barolo from the landmark Cannubi vineyard, The wine is produced as a “normale” and also as a limited-release Riserva in certain years.
CARRETTA’S WINES
Tenuta Carretta owns a selection of parcels and monopole vineyards in some of the Piedmont’s most famed districts:
Carretta- rineyards resting in winter
sparkling
The estate makes a range of metodo tradizionale sparkling wines, generally from the usual-suspect grape varieties. We carry just one, their unique Nebbiolo Rosato Brut Zero.
Nebbiolo Brut Zero NV Rosato “Cuvee San Rocco:” Grapes from the vineyards of San Rocco Seno d’Elvio, a hamlet near Alba that is particularly suitable to the cultivation of Nebbiolo. The label is artwork by Rosetta Avalle, a noted local artist whose work celebrates the union of man and nature that defines this UNESCO world heritage site. Methodo Classico (methode Champenoise) vinification process. Extremely elegant, pleasantly dry and decisive, unveiling remarkable structure and personality. Perfect for the entire meal, this wine is ideal with shrimp, lobster, fish dishes and risottos.
the “crown” series
The three wines in this group are modern style wines with bright fruit lighter structure and playful, modernist labels.
Roero Arneis “Cayega:” Cayega is the flagship of this line, a bright, super fresh Arneis showcasing the versatility of this indigenous Piemontese grape. Grown on the Roero’s sandy calcareous soil, vinified in stainless with a bit of lees contact for complexity. Notes of hawthorn flower, acacia honey and a touch of tropical fruit.
Rosato “Cereja:” Name both for the local Piemontese word of warm greeting and also as a nod to the pink tone of the wine (ceresa- cherry in local dialect), this blend of Nebbiolo & Barbera is a bright salmon pink, with good acidity and ripe fruit flavors. Quick maceration with the skins, then 3 months fermentation in stainless followed by 3 months of resting before release. Savory and mineral-driven. Perfect when the occasion calls for a rose with a bit more depth.
The classic line
These three wines, all Alba DOC, are designed to showcase their respective varietals in a gently-structured, easy to approach format. The Gollden Pheasant on the label, one of Italy’s most revered game birds, represents the wines’ suitability with a wide variety of game dishes.
Dolcetto d’Alba DOC: vinified in stainless, with about 6 months in tank before bottling. Bright and fresh with a light tannic grip and a touch of almond in the aroma.
Barbera d’Alba DOC: 4 months in stainless and 6 in bottle before release. Earthy, touches of morello cherry, velvety texture.
Nebbiolo d’Alba DOC: 6 months in older oak, then 4 months in bottle prior to release. Textured with fine-grained tannins, aromas of cherry, berry and winter spices.
“In Piedmont, the end of spring marks the time when people start reaching for Barbera instead of Nebbiolo. A grape known for its zinging, vibrant acidity and its gorgeous red fruit character, it makes for a wine that is generally fresh in style and can even be chilled.”
The Riserva Wines
This series of three superb wines, each from a legally recognized monopole vineyard (a vineyard of historical significance owned in its entirety by Tenuta Carretta) are all finished as Riservas, with extended barrel-ageing time and bottle rest before release. Each is a perfect example of the marriage of fine terroir and meticulous winemaking, and each is a stellar bottle in a classic Piedmontese style.
Roero Arneis Riserva Canorei: from Carretta’s oldest vineyard, a monopole and legally-recognized Menzione Geografica Aggiuntiva (Additional Geographic Designation) within the Roero DOCG. The soils of this 5.3-acre vineyard are rich in limestone, and with high drainage capacity, and are used exclusively for Arneis Riserva. The vines are around 40 years old, quite old for Arneis and produce a wine with great phenolic richness and an intense expressiveness of their terroir. The wine is fermented and aged in barriques of steam-bent (ie no toast) Acacia wood, then bottle aged before release. This is an amazing and unique wine that drinks in many ways like a great Meursault.
Roero Riserva “Bric Paradiso:” From a monopole vineyard on a plateau-hilltop in the village of Piobese d’Alba, planted to 100% Nebbiolo. Delicate sandy soils and a good diurnal temperature swing combine to craft a wine of finesse and elegance with both depth and great acidity.
“...a great Nebbiolo at a reasonable price.”
Barbaresco Riserva Cascina Bordino: From a monopole vineyard including some of the finest plots on the eastern side of the village of Treiso… steep vineyards of sandy marl soil with occasional clayey lenses. A fine, structured wine of elegance and a bit of austerity. Aged for a minimum of 50 months from the November following the harvest, including at least 9 months in barrel.
“Barolo Cannubi Riserva Collezione Rag. Franco Miroglio: a refined, exclusive wine…that gives a crescendo of pleasant, captivating sensations that stimulate and satisfy all senses – smell, taste, but also sight, touch, and sound.””
“Barolo Chinato is the finest flavored wine that exists, the maximum expression of this type of wine and despite being prepared in the same way as the classic vermouth, from which it derives as a concept, the two products are not even remotely comparable. ”
… A FEW COCKTAIL RECIPES
The Current: gin, chinato, eggwhite
The Darkside: gin, chinato, peychauds
The Piedmont Sour: bourbon, chinato, eggwhite, lemon
“Sotto la neve, pane (“Under the snow, there is bread”).”
Golden Pheasant (photo credit)
single vineyard superiore wines
Dolcetto d’Alba Superiore Il Palazzo: FThe grapes come from property vineyards grown on soils rich in limestone sands (Diano Sandstone) in Madonna di Como, a suitable area for the Dolcetto grape, located in the municipality of Alba, on the sunny side overlooking the hamlet of Ricca di Diano d’Alba. An ancient bishop’s palace once stood here, hence the wine’s name. In order to be classified as “Superiore”, the wine must be aged for 12 months starting from the 1st of November of the year of harvest. The wine’s release is thus set from the 1st of November of the year following grape harvest. Fermentation and maceration are carried out for 10-12 days at 28°C. After, the wine is transferred to stainless steel tanks to age for at least 6 months. The wine is then placed in the bottle where it will age for at least another 6 months, until it reaches the 12 months indicated by the DOC regulations. Ruby red with violet reflections, rich and intense aroma with hints of flowers and fruits. Harmonious and velvety mouthfeel, unveiling extreme elegance as well as pleasantly sweet and delicate tannins.
Nebbiolo d'Alba Superiore “Tavoletto:” This rich and long-lived Nebbiolo d’Alba Superiore endowed with excellent structure comes from property vineyards cultivated in the sunny and steep land of Podere Tavoleto, in the hamlet of San Rocco Seno d’Elvio, situated in the municipality of Alba. The “Superiore” classification requires a minimum aging period of 18 months (of which at least 6 in wood) starting from the 1st of November of the year of harvest. This establishes product launch on the 1st of May of the second year following grape harvest. Fermentation and maceration last for 10-12 days at a temperature of 28°C. After, the wine is placed in oak tonneaus to age for at least 12 months. The wine is then bottled and aged for another 6 months. Ruby red with garnet reflections, rich and complex aromas with hints of incense, licorice, vanilla and ripe fruit. Harmonious and velvety in the mouth, extremely elegant with pleasantly delicate tannins.
barolo cannubi
Cannubi is the oldest Cru in the Barolo DOC, with mention of the specific site dating to the mid 1700’s. There is some dispute however over its boundaries- if you map out the vineyard, it’s about 40 acres, but if you add up all the claimed holdings in Cannubi, you get more like 75 acres. Some of this may be the same parcel showing up as owned by 2 different families who are in fact related, but it is confusing. Adding further to the morass is the Italian authorities’ recent decision (even more recently rescinded) to allow the surrounding satellite vineyards of Cannubi Boschis, Cannubi Moscatel, Cannubi San Lorenzo and Cannubi Valetta to use the name “Cannubi” on their labels. However, at the end of the day, Tenuta Carretta owns lands in the heart of the original Cannubi vineyard, and they are in fact the second-largest holder with 7 acres of vines.
Barolo Cannubi Riserva Collezione Rag. Franco Miroglio
A superb Barolo crafted from Carretta’s plot on the hill of Cannubi; a 5.5-acre parcel along the steep valley walls above the valley floor and below the ridge hosting Castiglione Falletto. The soils are sandy calcareous fossil marl of Tortonian (7.25-11.6 million years ago) age. 60 months in barrique prior to bottling, then 36 months in bottle before release. Deep, classic and austere when young, designed to age for decades.
A mere 1260 bottles of the Riserva are produced, if it’s made at all, and named in honor of the patriarch of the family, Franco Miroglio (it lists as Rag. Franco Miroglio- Ragionare is his business title, roughly equivalent to CPA). Each bottle is numbered and the label includes a silk pattern from one of the famed Miroglio scarves.
Guinea Fowl with chestnut/sausage stuffing and a pomegranite sauce- a royal pairing for Cannubi Riserva.
barolo chinato
The history of flavoring wine with aromatic herbs and other compounds has a history going back to ancient times. The Egyptians added healing herbs. The Persians added, among other things, poppyseed and cannabis. The Greeks have their Retsina, while the French Foreign Legion had a thirst for Lillet and Dubonnet, whose herb infusions helped ward off tropical diseases. And the Italians are best known for Vermouth, originally made with the addition of wormwood (artemesia, vermut). Italy also pioneered the creation of amari - bitter drinks served generally as apertifs and/or digestifs (Amaro, Campari, Aperol, Fernet Branca, etc). Many use quinine as a bittering (and medical) agent, which is derived from the bark of the chinchona tree, known in Italian as the china, thus something flavored with china is chinato. Other ingredients used include orange peel, gentian, rhubarb, coriander and cardamom. These are macerated in grappa, which is then added to the Barolo base wine along with sugar to rebalance it at a typical 18% alcohol. It is said that pharmacist Giuseppe Capinelli was the first to produce a Barolo Chinato, around 1870, offering it as an antimalarial “tonic.”
The unique aspect of Barolo Chinato is that instead of a bland base wine, it’s made with a base of pure Barolo DOCG, giving it a rich and lush flavor. Because of the bitterness, Barolo is usually sweetened a bit as well, creating a compelling after-dinner digestif, and an amazing base for a variety of bittersweet cocktails.
Carretta’s version is deep garnet red colour with brick highlights. The aroma is complex, showing notes of clove, cinnamon, rhubarb and gentian; the flavor is warm and full, soft but with agreeable tannins and a subtle almond aftertaste. Today it is most often served on the rocks as an apertif, as an ingredient in craft cocktails, or neat to round off a meal, as a meditation wine and as an accompaniment to chocolate desserts.