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| Industry | Wine production |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1958 |
| Founder | Arnaldo Rivera |
| Headquarters | via Alba-Barolo, 8 12060 Castiglione Falletto (CN) - Italy |
Key people | Paolo Boffa (President) |
| Products | wine |
| Website | |
Terre del Barolo is a cooperative winery based in Castiglione Falletto, in the Langhe area of northern Italy, renowned for the production of the main Piedmontese wines. Founded in 1958, Cantina Terre del Barolo is one of the most historic cooperative wineries still active in Piedmont. [1]
The territory of Langhe has always been a land of renowned wines, however the first decades of the twentieth century were characterized by difficult periods: the two world wars, the phylloxera epidemic and periods of economic depression due also to a market of grapes characterized by more and more strong speculations to the detriment of winemakers. [1]
The idea of founding a cooperative winery in Castiglione Falletto is due to the intuition of Arnaldo Rivera, son of winegrowers in the area. Already his father founded a cooperative winery in the twenties but didn’t have the hoped success, anyway Arnaldo Rivera had the mind to repeat the company. Before even developing the project to involve local winegrowers, as a primary school teacher of the country as it was, he proposed almost like a game to their students to set up a sort of cooperative of the hens with the purpose of financing the year-end school tour with the sale of the eggs. This didactic experiment, so-called “the hens' cooperative”, carried out as a capital for each student, was successful and at the end of the school year, its dissolution was unanimously approved with the consequent sale of all the hens. [2] In 1958 Rivera succeeded in overcoming the widespread distrust of cooperative associations since in the first half of the twentieth-century various wine consortia had also failed due to a lack of dynamic market. [3] [4] While continuing his activities as an elementary teacher and mayor of Castiglione Falletto, the project of a new wine cooperative involved him in the development of local resources and helped to safeguard the interests of the wine sector in the area, avoiding further speculation. Rivera was able to convince many winegrowing friends in difficulty but also mayors of other municipalities and then public bodies and banks to obtain the necessary funding. [5]
On December 8, 1958, with a deed of incorporation drafted in the hall of the Town Hall of Grinzane Cavour in front of the notary Italo Ferrero, Cantina Terre del Barolo was founded with headquarters in Castiglione Falletto and the founding members at the time of foundation, represented by President Arnaldo Rivera, were twenty-two. [N 1] The works for the construction of the plant, designed by the engineer Biagio Soave and the architect Elio Celato, left after in 1959 on land partly purchased by the diocese and partly by the peasants and, in the meantime, the members of the association rose to over three hundred. In January 1961 the first ordinary assembly met to approve the first balance sheet which amounted to Lire 187,915,461 with revenues of Lire 2,666,913.
In 1968 the budget of Cantina Terre del Barolo exceeded one billion lire and the plant was expanded to accommodate new oak barrels but also new spaces for the grapes provision, whose sale by the winegrowers partners no longer represented a problem as in the past. Despite the economic crisis of the early seventies, the cooperative winery began to be known by participating in various trade fairs in Alba but also in Turin, Milan, Genoa, Parma, Verona and was also organized a first distribution network. In 1970 the Terre del Barolo cooperative winery also received two Diplomas with a Gold Medal, following participation in the 2nd National Competition of Italian Wines held in Milan. In 1974 the Cantina Terre del Barolo reached almost five hundred members and, despite the less abundant vintages, production and sales were destined to rise.
At the beginning of the eighties, the cooperative winery received in New York the prestigious American award “Italian Barrel Wine” for a 1979 Nebbiolo d'Alba decreed as one of the best Italian wines. The number of members settled at 550, with a budget that was close to seven billion lire. In 1983 the twenty-five year activity was celebrated and Arnaldo Rivera, in a speech during the ceremony said that «a social entity that acts democratically sharing the income in relation to the participation of members can be a winning idea, breaking down the prejudice that men are destined to be armed against each other in the name of individual privilege and egoism». In December 1986 Arnaldo Rivera resigned and after his death in 1987, took over Francesco Conterno who held the office of president until 1990, taking care to complete the process of renewal already started with Rivera, that included also the purchase of new equipments, the creation of an internal analysis laboratory and the modernization of the offices.
Since 1990 Matteo Bosco became the new president of the cooperative and the members were reduced to about four hundred, although nevertheless achieving satisfying results about production and quality; important renovations and expansion of the cellar and refining rooms were also carried out. [6] [7] The flood of the Tanaro in 1994 damaged many municipalities and territories in the area, so the cooperative deliberated the granting of financial contributions in support of the most affected members. Since 2001, the cooperative has decided to set up an annual award to be awarded only to women distinguishing themselves for success in their professional field and the first woman to be awarded was Carla Fracci. In the following years, the Terre del Barolo Award was awarded to Luciana Littizzetto, Margherita Hack, Micol Fontana, Elena Sofia Ricci, Dacia Maraini and Enza Sampò. Under the leadership of the new president Paolo Boffa the Cantina Terre del Barolo in 2017, on the eve of its sixtieth anniversary, has commemorated its founder by creating a special selection of Barolo DOCG called ARNALDORIVERA. [8]
The cooperative winery mainly produces red wines produced exclusively from the Langhe grapes, respecting the DOC and DOCG regulations, including an organic line. The main wines are classified as Barolo, Nebbiolo, Barbera, and Dolcetto, to which is added a small production from the native Pelaverga and Nascetta wines. An Alta Langa DOCG "Metodo Classico" sparkling wine, a Barolo Chinato and a Barolo Grappa complete the range. [8]
• BRC (GSF Global Standard Food) • ENI EN ISO 9001: 2008 • IFS (International Food Standard) • ISO 22000: 2005 • ISO 22005: 2008 • Biological
• ISO 14001: 04 • EMAS
Barolo is a red denominazione di origine controllata e garantita (DOCG) wine produced in the northern Italian region of Piedmont. It is made from the nebbiolo grape and is often described as one of Italy's greatest wines.
Nebbiolo is an Italian red wine grape variety predominantly associated with its native Piedmont region, where it makes the Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) wines of Barolo, Barbaresco, Gattinara, Ghemme, and Roero, together with numerous DOC wines. Nebbiolo is thought to derive its name from the Italian nebbia or Piedmontese nebia, meaning "fog". During harvest, which generally takes place late in October, a deep, intense fog sets into the Langhe region where many Nebbiolo vineyards are located. Alternative explanations refer to the fog-like glaucous veil that forms over the berries as they reach maturity, or that perhaps the name is derived instead from the Italian word nobile, meaning noble. Nebbiolo produces lightly-colored red wines which can be highly tannic in youth with scents of tar and roses. As they age, the wines take on a characteristic brick-orange hue at the rim of the glass and mature to reveal other aromas and flavours such as violets, tar, wild herbs, cherries, raspberries, truffles, tobacco, and prunes. Nebbiolo wines can require years of ageing to balance the tannins with other characteristics.
Barbera is a red Italian wine grape variety that, as of 2000, was the third most-planted red grape variety in Italy. It produces good yields and is known for deep color, full body, low tannins and high levels of acidity.
Dolcetto is a black Italian wine grape variety widely grown in the Piedmont region of northwest Italy. The Italian word dolcetto means "little sweet one", but it is not certain that the name originally carried any reference to the grape’s sugar levels: it is possible that it derives from the name of the hills where the vine is cultivated. In any case the wines produced are nearly always dry. They can be tannic and fruity with moderate, or decidedly low, levels of acidity and are typically meant to be consumed within a few years after release.
Aglianico is a black grape grown in the southern regions of Italy, mostly Basilicata and Campania. It is considered with Sangiovese and Nebbiolo to be one of the three greatest Italian varieties. Aglianico is sometimes called "The Barolo of the South" due to its ability to produce highly refined, complex fine wines like the famous wine from Piedmont, Barolo.
The Langhe is a hilly area to the south and east of the river Tanaro in the provinces of Cuneo and Asti in Piedmont, northern Italy.
Italian wine is produced in every region of Italy. Italy is the world's largest wine producer, as well as the country with the widest variety of indigenous grapevine in the world, with an area of 702,000 hectares under vineyard cultivation, and contributing a 2013–2017 annual average of 48.3 million hl of wine. In 2018 Italy accounted for 19 per cent of global production, ahead of France and Spain. Italian wine is both exported around the world and popular domestically among Italians, who consume an average of 42 litres per capita, ranking fifth in world wine consumption.
Asti is a sparkling white Italian wine that is produced throughout southeastern Piedmont, but is particularly focused around the towns of Asti and Alba. Since 1993 the wine has been classified as a denominazione di origine controllata e garantita (DOCG) and as of 2004 was Italy's largest producing appellation. On an average vintage more than ten times as much Asti is produced in Piedmont than the more well-known Piedmontese red wine Barolo.
Barbaresco is an Italian wine made with the Nebbiolo grape. Barbaresco is produced in the Piedmont region in an area of the Langhe immediately to the east of Alba and specifically in the comunes of Barbaresco, Treiso and Neive plus that area of the frazione San Rocco Seno d'Elvio which was once part of the comune of Barbaresco and now belongs to the comune of Alba. It was granted Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) status in 1966 and Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita status in 1980. The wine is often compared with Barolo—another Nebbiolo-based wine from the Piedmont area. Though the wines do share many similarities, there are some distinct differences between them.
Castiglione Falletto is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Cuneo in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 50 kilometres (31 mi) southeast of Turin and about 40 kilometres (25 mi) northeast of Cuneo.
Freisa is a red Italian wine grape variety grown in the Piedmont region of north-west Italy, primarily in Monferrato and in the Langhe, but also further north in the provinces of Turin and Biella. Freisa is a vigorous and productive vine whose round, blue-black grapes are harvested in early October. The three-lobed leaves are relatively small and the bunches are elongated in form. By the 1880s it had become one of the major Piedmontese grapes, and in that period its cultivation was stimulated by the vine’s resistance to the downy mildew caused by the Plasmopara viticola fungus. Wines made from the Freisa grape are red and usually somewhat sweet and lightly sparkling, or foaming. Still and fully sparkling versions are also produced, however, as are dry and more decidedly sweet styles. In the Canavese there is also a rosé which can be made primarily from Freisa according to Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) regulations.
Roero is a geographical area in the north-east corner of the province of Cuneo in Piedmont, north-west Italy. This hilly region is known for its wines and for its fruit production: particularly the peaches of Canale and the local variety of pear known as Madernassa which originated in the late eighteenth century in Vezza d'Alba. Strawberries are also grown.
Piedmont wine is the range of Italian wines made in the region of Piedmont, in the northwestern corner of Italy. The best-known wines from the region include Barolo and Barbaresco. They are made from the Nebbiolo grape. These wines are ideal for storage and a well-aged Barolo for instance may leave a feeling of drinking velvet because the tannins are polished and integrated more and more into the wine. As the wine matures the colour becomes more brownish and rust-red.
Arneis is a white Italian wine grape variety originating from Piedmont, Italy. It is most commonly found in the hills of the Roero, northwest of Alba, where it is part of the white Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) wines of Roero. It can also be used to produce DOC wines in Langhe. Arneis is so called because it is regarded as a somewhat difficult variety to grow. It is a crisp and floral varietal, and has been grown for centuries in the region. The white wines made from the Arneis grape tend to be dry and full bodied with notes of pears and apricots.
Gaja is an Italian wine producer from the Piemonte region in the district of Langhe, chiefly producing a number of Barbaresco and Barolo wines, and later diversified into Brunello di Montalcino and "Super Tuscan" production. Its current owner and president Angelo Gaja is credited with developing techniques that have revolutionised winemaking in Italy, and terms such as "the undisputed king of Barbaresco", and "the man who dragged Piedmont into the modern world" have been applied to him, and whose Barbaresco wine is considered a status symbol on a par with Château Lafite Rothschild or Champagne Krug.
Bruno Giacosa was an Italian wine producer from the village Neive in the Langhe region (Piemonte), who produced a number of Barbaresco and Barolo wines, as well as bottlings of Arneis, Barbera, Dolcetto and a sparkling wine. Wines produced from owned vineyards are bottled under the label Azienda Agricola Falletto , wines from bought grapes or from grapes from leased vineyards under the label Casa Vinicola Bruno Giacosa. In terms of the production of Nebbiolo, Giacosa was considered a traditionalist. He has been described as the "Genius of Neive".
Aldo Conterno was an Italian winemaker of eponymous wine producer Poderi Aldo Conterno from the Piemonte region in the district of Langhe, chiefly producing Barolo wines. The winery is located in Monforte d'Alba, and Conterno was widely ranked among Piemonte's foremost producers.
Giacomo Conterno is an Italian wine producer from the Piemonte region in the district of Langhe. From a winery located in Monforte d'Alba, the Barolo and Barbera wines are made by traditionalist methods and are widely considered among the finest produced in the Barolo zone.
Arnaldo Rivera (1919–1987) was an Italian teacher, entrepreneur and partisan. For almost forty years he was the mayor and the primary school teacher of Castiglione Falletto, so 1958 he founded the Cantina Terre del Barolo, one of the oldest and largest cooperative wineries in Piedmont still active.
Castiglion del Bosco is a wine estate which produces Brunello di Montalcino and was one of the founders of Brunello di Montalcino Consortium. It is located in the comune of Montalcino in the province of Siena, Italy, within the Val d’Orcia nature reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.