Born in 1858 from the love story between the King of Italy, Vittorio Emanuele II, and Rosa Vercellana. We have always been a community, united by respect for the land, and today we have 120 hectares of ORGANIC crops that frame Italy’s first Storytelling Village.
We have 120 hectares of land, divided between the municipalities of Serralunga d’Alba, Barolo, Diano d’Alba, Dogliani, Farigliano, Alba and Rodello, at altitudes ranging between 250 and 420 metres above sea level, cultivated with Nebbiolo, Barbera, Dolcetto, Nascetta, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Moscato, which represent the starting point for the remarkable quality of our wines.
The climate is typically continental, but with considerable variability in terms of rainfall and temperature, resulting in an extraordinary diversity of harvests.
The richness of our soils is due to their mainly calcareous composition with different textures even just a few metres apart, ranging from looser soils, with as much as 50% sand, such as those at the farthest end of Serralunga d’Alba and Barolo, to more loamy and clayey soils, like those in the highest area of Serralunga.
Our vines are old, having been planted between 1940 and 1999, and this allows us to have significant root depths that reward the qualitative diversity of each individual M.G.A.. When replacing vines or replanting our vineyards we use our own massal selections in order to maintain the same genetic material that has always distinguished Fontanafredda. And we experiment on small plots with new planting layouts or grafting systems that favour clean agriculture.
We are among the last producers to have maintained extensive woods in the Bassa Langa region, with a woodland area of 12 hectares. This helps us to increase the plant and animal biodiversity that facilitates our ORGANIC farming, launched in 2015 and certified in 2018. No herbicides, no pesticides, no synthetic fertilisers.
Practising organic farming stimulates the symbiotic relationship between vineyards and woods, with their respective wild flora and fauna. By keeping the pedological characteristics of our soils intact, we increase the development of the micro-organisms that determine the amount of organic matter in our soils for the enrichment of biodiversity.
We see organic farming not merely as a form of agriculture but as a way of life, which involves identifying with the plant as a living being and eliminating all unnecessary chemicals.
Reviews:
On the savory side, this red opens with freshly mowed grass, hay and eucalyptus aromas before revealing cherry, strawberry, rose and mineral flavors. Fleshy, with a matrix of dense tannins flexing their muscles on the finish. Shows excellent potential. Best from 2023 through 2042.
-Wine Spectator 96 Points
Floral and red fruit nose. Supple attack, very polished and concentrated, with fine-grained tannins and ample acidity. This has a linear drive, precision. and a very long finish. The rewards will be substantial for the patient consumer.
-Decanter 97 Points
Dominique Piron Morgon Cote du Py is made from 100 percent Gamay.
The Morgon Cru is based in the heart of Northern Beaujolais. Côte du Py is the heart of Morgon, a little hill of very old blue stone rocks - the oldest soils of Beaujolais (around 430 millions years old), with a typical blue color.
Côte du Py has been known for centuries for being the best terroir of the village, producing long lived wines with strong structure and flavors.
Wines of the Côte du Py are very dark, profound and dense. Classic aromas of red berries, cherry, kirsh. Fruity, structured and mineral in the mouth with graphite flavors and spicy notes of black and white pepper. Wine can age up to 10 years.
Hand picked grapes are sorted manually and destemmed for 50 to 70%. Fermentation starts in concrete tanks and lasts for 18-25 days with remontages and pigeages. Then after pressurage starts the aging, for 2/3 in concrete tanks, and 1/3 in recent French oak barrels with batonages on fine lies only. After 10 month we do the blending, keeping only the best cuvees and best barrels, and do the bottling.
Pairs well with red meat like beef, duck and game (Hare, Dear, Wild Pork,…), cheses.
Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 95.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2.5% Cabernet Franc, 1.9% Merlot, 0.4% Petit Verdot
The Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 has notes of red cherry, raspberry, blackberry, iris, vanilla and clove. Ruby in color, this elegant wine has great acidity and lift on the mid-palate. Black currant and warm baking spices linger with a deep and fruity finish. It will provide drinking pleasure through 2047 given proper cellaring.
Review:
Plush and sexy, Silver Oak’s dazzling 2020 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon delivers succulent dark fruit offset by black olive-like nuances. Polished and suave tannins provide support without being intrusive or distracting, allowing for immediate enjoyment with a steak. Good acidity keeps it bright and you coming back for another sip.---- Michael Apstein
- Wine Review Online 93 Points