Fattoria Moretto

Among the hills of Castelvetro, in the heart of Lambrusco di Grasparossa territory, the Modena-based Fattoria Moretto has been producing wine for more than half a century on a strictly family basis. Three generations of the Altariva family have been involved in the winemaking business, a tradition begun in the 1960s by Antonio Altariva, who entered into a sharecropping contract, starting the production of Lambrusco in bulk in demijohns. In 1971 his son Domenico bought 2.5 hectares together with his wife Albertina, thus beginning to cultivate the first estate vineyards. Since 1991, brothers Fausto and Fabio Altariva, Domenico and Albertina's sons, have been running the estate. To them we owe the abandonment of bulk wine sales in favor of direct marketing of bottled wine, particularly Lambrusco di Grasparossa, sold under the name Fattoria Moretto. Over the years, the historic basement cellar was expanded and the estate vineyards were expanded. In addition, as early as 1995 Fausto and Fabio converted the entire agricultural management of the estate to integrated pest management, and in the late 20th century they directed the production of Lambrusco towards the Charmat or Martinotti Method, in search of greater stylistic cleanliness. Today Fausto and Fabio are supported by Alessio, Fabio's son and the fourth oenological generation of the family, who, on the strength of his studies in Economics and Viticulture and Oenology, represents the future of the estate.

Fattoria Moretto comprises approximately 10 hectares of vineyards, mainly dedicated to Lambrusco di Grasparossa, the prince variety of the Castelvetro area, flanked by the white grape Pignoletto. The rows grow on loamy, clayey soils about 200 meters above sea level and are cultivated according to the principles of organic farming. In the winery, fermentations are entrusted to indigenous yeasts only and take place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. For the light frothing of Lambrusco, the Martinotti Method is adopted, which consists of a refermentation of the base wine in an autoclave.

The production of the Fattoria Moretto winery expresses the territorial and varietal distinctiveness of Lambrusco di Grasparossa. These are crisp and direct wines, at times rustic but always fragrant, with a fine balance.