Montalbera, a Success Story

We meet the Montalbera winery, now an established reality operating in the Langhe and Monferrato. Franco Morando continues the family tradition and, with passion and dedication, develops the work already undertaken following canons of excellence.
The success story is based on the rediscovery and subsequent enhancement of Ruché, an ancient grape variety of Piedmontese tradition. The challenge has been won, Ruché is beginning to gain recognition but above all the market and legislative acknowledgment it deserves: sales are growing and in 2010 the DOCG designation arrived. The winery then completed its range by acquiring some Nebbiolo da Barolo vineyards in Castiglione Falletto. Completing the range, so to speak.
We therefore ask Franco to tell us about Montalbera, certain that his story will be of interest to us.

Hello Franco. How many planted hectares do you manage? In which municipalities?
There are three cellars. The first is located in Castagnole Monferrato and extends over 140 hectares in a single plot. It is a land particularly suited to Ruché, an ancient indigenous Piedmontese grape variety, whose wine has recently received the DOCG designation. The second cellar is in Castiglione Tinella with a 15-hectare vineyard. It is our historic cellar, the birthplace of my grandfather Enrico Riccardo, dedicated exclusively to the cultivation of the great Moscato d'Asti. The third is located in Castiglione Falletto, a small patch of 3 hectares of vineyards only, extending into the municipality of La Morra, dedicated to the production of Nebbiolo da Barolo.

In percentage terms, what is the vineyard composition by grape variety?
In Castagnole Monferrato the breakdown is as follows: approximately 75 hectares of Ruché, 18 of Grignolino, 20 of Barbera d'Asti, 5 of Chardonnay, 10 of Viognier, 5 of Sauvignon and 7 hectares in a mix of other international varieties. The Castiglione Tinella cellar is reserved solely for the cultivation of Moscato d'Asti and the Castiglione Falletto one for Nebbiolo da Barolo.

What is the soil composition of the vineyard? What is the soil texture, divided between sand, silt and clay?
In Castagnole Monferrato there are very tuffaceous soils, but in some parts tending toward calcareous clay. I think of the bricco LACCENTO which is predominantly calcareous. This is why some tasting notes detect this "highlight" of minerality. Castiglione Tinella is characterized by a typically tuffaceous soil while in Castiglione Falletto we predominantly find clay.

What is the exposure of the vineyards? Are there significant differences between the various plots?
The exposure varies greatly. For example, in the 140 hectares of Castagnole Monferrato, I emphasize that Ruché requires positions not particularly oriented toward sunlight, at least not in a constant manner. This is due to its natural aromaticity. In fact, the classic leaf-thinning is not even carried out: I would risk "burning the aromas" directly in the vineyard and bringing the grapes in some cases to an unwanted over-ripening. The grape also has a naturally extremely rapid ripening in the last week before harvest.

What is the typical climate pattern? Are there significant differences between the various vineyards?
With three cellars, one in Monferrato and two in the Langhe about 30 km apart, significant climatic differences can be recorded especially in the summer period. Regarding precipitation, I mention hail as an example – a reality greatly feared by us producers.

What is the average age of the vineyard? Are there some plots that date back to a completely different era or were the vines planted in the same period?
The vines in Castiglione Tinella are all over 20 years old. As for the vineyards in Castiglione Falletto, we have half a hectare that exceeds 30 years while the remaining 2.5 ha are young plantings, no more than 10 years old. The Castagnole Monferrato estate is in continuous evolution. I note that we purchased it in 1980 with only 5 hectares and now we have as many as 140, not all newly planted, but predominantly so. The youngest Ruché vines are dedicated to the classic versions and to our new "launch" label, Ruché 2.0, the first to be drunk cold just like a white wine. The vines over 25 years old are reserved for our selections.

What is the vine planting density per hectare?
4,000 vines/ha

What is the vine training system? What is the average height of the plants from the ground? What rootstocks?
Low Guyot at 85/90 cm; Rootstocks: 420 A, Kober 5BB, 110 Richter.

What is the grape yield per hectare? How much fruit does each vine produce?
It depends on the type of wine. We remain well below the strict limits indicated in the production regulations, which in Piedmont are already extremely rigorous.

What type of fertilization do you use?
Traditional, chemical.

What is the harvest period for the various grape varieties you grow?
It depends on the type of wine, but generally from mid-September to mid-November across all three farming estates.

Let's move to the cellar and talk about winemaking. How long does the tumultuous maceration last for the various wines? How many pump-overs and punch-downs?
The tumultuous maceration lasts from 5 to 25 days depending on the grape variety and the wine to be obtained. As for pump-overs, in the first phase of fermentation we do 5–6 per day, which reduce until the end of fermentation. Punch-downs are not done by hand due to the advanced technology we have in the cellar, and I find it very hard to imagine there are still wineries that do it that way. Incidentally, I note that for our premium wines we carry out délestage to achieve greater elegance and silkiness.

How long does the slow maceration last? How long does malolactic fermentation last?
The slow maceration lasts from 5 to 15/18 days. As for malolactic fermentation, in the Ruché it immediately follows alcoholic fermentation for 8/9 days – the same for the Grignolino – while in the Barbera it is not spontaneous but "induced" when deemed appropriate with the addition of malolactic bacteria.

How many rackings are necessary?
It depends on the vintage, but generally from 3 to 5.

How long does stabilization last? In which containers does aging take place?
A minimum of 6 months, up to 12–13 for Ruché Laccento and 18–20 for Ruché Limpronta and Barbera Lequilibrio (which undergoes a passage in wood).

Are the wines treated with sulfur dioxide as an antiseptic? Are they subject to other treatments?
Yes, with the utmost attention to minimal and targeted additions as far as sulfur dioxide is concerned.

How many bottles do you produce in total? For each individual wine?
In total we produce approximately 400,000 bottles. Ruché family: 200,000 across the various labels. Approximately 50,000 for the sparkling wines and the rest divided among the various other types.

What is the optimal time to drink the wines?
Wines are meant to be drunk! I dislike people who wait 10 years to uncork a bottle. It is obvious – and I speak for myself – that the enthusiast and the connoisseur understands that a Barolo or the Ruché Limpronta – my Ruché selection aged in wood – gives its maximum splendor after years in the bottle, but certainly not after 10–15. Wine is life and life has a beginning and an end, as with everything.

Let me briefly summarize the Montalbera production philosophy:
"The dream of all the generations of men dedicated to wine who preceded us is to obtain from cultivation the best possible fruit – grapes – transform it into wine without squandering or altering the heritage of taste and aroma synthesized by nature in the fruit, vinify without losing an ounce of the native value." (Preface by Luca Maroni to: Le buone pratiche per la vinificazione e la conservazione dei vini - Louis Oudart - first published in 1877 by the Royal Academy of Agriculture of Turin).

And we tasted the Ruché Laccento and Limpronta and the Barolo Levoluzione.