Region | Piemonte (Italia) |
---|---|
Foundation Year | 1985 |
Vineyard hectares | 20 |
Annual production | 130.000 bt |
Address | Piazza Alfieri, 28 - 14010 San Martino Alfieri (AT) |
Oenologist | Mario Olivero |
The Marchesi Alfieri estate is located in the hilly area of San Martino Alfieri, in the province of Asti. It is a historic entity in Piedmontese wine, preserving the traditions and culture of the region for over three centuries. Its origins date back to 1696 when Carlo Emanuele I of Savoy granted Urbano Alfieri the fiefdom of San Martino. Within the property, a castle with a park and a cellar were built. In the mid-19th century, decisive momentum was given to viticulture and the renewal of vineyards, including the introduction of Pinot Noir cultivation in Piedmont. In the 1990s, the first bottles of Marchesi Alfieri winery were produced, and in the following years, there was a particular focus on the vineyards, aiming to reduce yields and have richer and more intense grapes.
The new approach to agronomic management led the winery to improve the qualitative level of wines, earning the recognition of Tre Bicchieri from Gambero Rosso in 1999 with the Barbera d'Asti Superiore DOCG Alfiera. In the subsequent years, the first Nebbiolo vines were planted on the Quaglia hill, and the first experiments began to produce a Blanc de Noirs Metodo Classico with Pinot Nero. Today, the estate continues to produce outstanding wines, staying true to the traditions of the past, thanks to a vineyard park of absolute respect. The estate covers a total area of 20 hectares divided into numerous parcels occupying the slopes of four hills, which have always been part of the family's land properties.
The Sansoero hill represents the historical core and is characterized by clay and sand-rich soils, particularly suitable for Barbera, Grignolino, Nebbiolo, and Pinot Nero vines. The Quaglia hill, on the other hand, has soils composed of sand, silt, and clay, very suitable for Barbera, Nebbiolo, and Pinot Nero, cultivated to produce Metodo Classico. The Calandrina hill is the birthplace of Barbera, which, thanks to an east and northeast exposure and soils of white sands and clays, expresses itself at excellent quality levels. Finally, the Vigna del Castello has white soils composed of limestone and sands where the Barbera d'Asti DOCG La Tota is born.