• Winery, Hospitality, Wines
Terre Miroglio’s property counts more than 120 hectares with the new acquisitions for the Alta Langa and Nizza DOCGs
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The winegrowing heritage of Terre Miroglio, a company owned by Edoardo Miroglio – together with his wife Ivana and their children Marta and Franco – located in Piedmont and which includes the wineries of Tenuta Carretta (in Piobesi d’Alba) and Malgrà (in Mombaruzzo), continues to grow. Indeed, their acquisition strategies has continued both in the area of Asti Monferrato and in the Langhe. This time, we witness the acquisition of a 7.5-hectare land in Cissone, in the area of origin of the Alta Langa DOCG, and another one of 12 hectares in Nizza Monferrato, in the area of origin of Nizza DOCG.
These are two strategic acquisitions. The former aims to consolidate the investments made in recent years in the same town in Langhe with the establishment of a winegrowing area of about 15 hectares for the production of great Piedmont Traditional Method brut; as for Malgrà, it marks an important operation of expansion and consolidation of existing vineyards. Thus, Terre Miroglio’s vineyards count about 120 hectares, located in the most important wine areas of Piedmont: Langhe, Roero, Monferrato and Alta Langa.
“Our family has always worked, believed and invested in the territory in this part of Piedmont: historically in the textile sector, and for the past thirty years, with a direct and growing commitment in the production of great wines” says Ivana Brignolo Miroglio, President of Terre Miroglio and the Piedmont coordinator for the national association “Donne del vino”: “We have long desired to bring new energy to the wine sector, aiming to protect and carefully manage the vineyards – through sustainable practices that respect the balance of the ecosystem – and grow new plants in the most suitable areas, increasingly strengthening our philosophy of processing grapes that exclusively come from our plots or those that we directly manage”.
“The vineyard is the essential element, because it is where the quality of wine comes from – observes Giovanni Minetti, CEO of Terre Miroglio – But our vineyards are not only valuable for wine production. The recognition from UNESCO emphasizes their immeasurable cultural, historical and social value, which all of us has the duty to protect and strengthen: they represent the green heart of a territory to which we are immensely grateful.
These past few years, with the phenomenon of “global warming”, we have witnessed some changes also in terms of how the vines react to sun exposure. This has led us to make new assessments, different from those made before the 2000s. Some hills that were once considered not suitable for the production of quality wines are now re-evaluated because they are able to yield less stressed grapes, showing a better balance between acidity and sugar levels, and ensure a good maturation of polyphenols and anthocyanins.
The real challenge for us producers today – continues Minetti – is to be able to create value within the context of sustainability, an idea that acts as an alternative to the irresponsible consumption of natural resources. Making wine is relatively easy – concludes Minetti – but making “great” wine is very challenging, expensive, and it requires great attention to detail. Our method consists in working with passion, believing that wine is a creative expression of man, and in interpreting the raw material given by nature while treasuring tradition”.
The vineyards of Alta Langa
Completed last January 2020, the acquisition of a 7-hectare land in Cissone (CN), in the area of origin of the Alta Langa DOCG, significantly increases the area for the production of Airali Brut and Airali Pas Dosè, the Alta Langa labels of Tenuta Carretta. This new investment enables the establishment of a winegrowing area of more than 15 hectares cultivated altogether.
The vineyards of Monferrato
90% of the vineyards in Monferrato are located in the municipality of Nizza, while the remaining part are in the neighbouring town of Mombaruzzo (AT), where Malgrà winery can also be found. We are in the area where great Barbera-based wines come from. There are three main plots: Mora di Sassi for the production of Nizza Riserva, Gaiana for the production of Nizza and Cugnexio for the production of Moscato d’Asti. With the acquisition of about 12 hectares, of which 9 are already planted with vineyards, all located in Nizza Monferrato, Malgrà’s vineyards now count more than 40 hectares.
The vineyards of Roero
Roero is the home of Tenuta Carretta, where most of its property can be found. The property is around 40 hectares merged into a single, grand plot of land that envelopes the winery in Piobesi d’Alba like an amphitheatre. The grapes grown are mostly Arneis (used to make Roero Arneis Cayega and Canorei), Nebbiolo (for Roero Riserva Bric Paradiso), Barbera (for Barbera d’Alba Bric Quercia) and Favorita (which is Vermentino’s name in Roero). The sandy soil and the particular microclimate of this area endow wines with great elegance and intense aromas.
The vineyards of Langhe: Barolo
These are four vineyards with a total area of 2.6 hectares, all located in the municipality of Barolo on the prestigious Cannubi hill: here, the grapes destined for the production of the outstanding Barolo Cannubi and Barolo Cannubi Riserva grow.Cannubi is one of the most esteemed MGAs of the entire denomination: soil, sun exposure and microclimatic conditions come together to create remarkable Barolo wines. The soil of Cannubi is unique, combining the distinctive features of the Tortonian and Helvetian periods: limestone sands, clay and silt are put together in ideal amounts to produce well-structured, fragrant and fresh wines.
The vineyards of Langhe: Barbaresco
In the municipality of Treiso, specifically in Sant’Alessandro, the vineyards of Cascina Bordino can be found: 6.5 hectares located along a very steep hill. The ridges of Cascina Bordino grow Nebbiolo grapes for the Barbaresco Riserva bearing its name, a wine distinguished by its elegance and complexity. On the far north of Treiso, in Garassino, there are Nebbiolo vineyards (3.7 hectares) that yield the grapes destined for the Barbaresco of the same name. Tenuta Carretta has monopoly over the Garassino MGA, exclusively vinifying all of its grapes.
The vineyards of Langhe: Nebbiolo d’Alba and Dolcetto d’Alba
The property of Tenuta Carretta is completed by the vineyards in Alba, in part located on the border with Treiso, in Tavoleto (around 10 hectares planted with Nebbiolo, Dolcetto and Moscato), and in part on the border with Diano d’Alba, at Cascina Palazzo, in Madonna di Como, where Dolcetto d’Alba Il Palazzo comes from.