Regional profile It was indeed known for its wines in the 19th ‘Fifteen years ago there were many poor century, until the phylloxera louse turned up and destroyed most of them. Farmers planted Roero wines on the market, but nowadays peaches in their place, and fruit fetched high prices in the 1920s and 1930s. Then, quality is much higher and more consistent’ Roero commercial growers realised they could Giacomo Damonte of Malvirà This region has traditionally been outmuscled by its better-known cultivate peaches in irrigated orchards on the plain at a fraction of the cost, and cousins Barolo and Barbaresco, but charm, succulence and an accessibility another product went into decline. Even so, Defining character while young are starting to put these wines on the map, says Stephen Brook vineyards here are interspersed with hazelnut I asked many winemakers whether they Roero at groves, peach trees and strawberry beds, as thought it was possible to pick out the Roeros a glance well as woodland. It’s an exceptionally in a blind tasting that included Barolo and IF THE NAME Roero means anything at all to It’s inevitable that Roero suffers in Below: the Tanaro river beautiful area, especially the Valmaggiore Barbaresco, and they doubted it. For the Negros Growers wine lovers, it’s as the region that produces comparison to Barolo and Barbaresco, but the separates the vineyards valley, where the slopes, if not especially high, of the Angelo Negro estate, Roero should 520 Arneis, an enjoyable and fashionable white wines surely deserve to be better known and of Roero from those of are thrillingly steep. display some elegance, so a heavy hand with Production wine that’s never quite attained greatness. appreciated. They are accessible young, which its famous relatives The soils in some of the most prized sectors new oak should be avoided. They also argued 850ha Arneis But Roero also produces a red wine from is rarely the case with the wines from across Barolo and Barbaresco for Nebbiolo, such as around Vezza d’Alba, are that it should have sweeter tannins. For the (5,500,000 bottles) Nebbiolo that deserves consideration the river, but can also age well. Nebbiolo sandy, so you’d expect Roero to have its own Bovone family of Cornarea, Roero should have and 195ha Nebbiolo alongside its better-known cousins Barolo and doesn’t have to be about punishing tannins typicity. However, I’m not sure that it does. fine tannins and greater accessibility than its (500,000 bottles) Barbaresco. It differs from those illustrious and acidity; other expressions, such as Roero, A plain Roero, aged in cask for a year, does have neighbours across the river. declared as Roero wines in that it is grown on the other side of offer charm and succulence in place of power a sprightliness and fruitiness you’re unlikely Until 1985, the Nebbiolo grown here was Minimum alcohol the Tanaro river. Drive from Alba to Canale and structure. Roero is also far less expensive. to find in a basic Barolo. But a Roero riserva, labelled as Nebbiolo d’Alba. The latter was 12.5% and then on to Asti, and you’ll see mounds of A wide range was available for tasting at the made from selected grapes and aged in wood replaced by plain Roero and by Roero Superiore Maximum yield vineyards, not as high as those of or annual Nebbiolo Prima event in Alba. for two years, can taste very different. Some from riper grapes and with longer wood-ageing. 56 hl/ha Serralunga, but very steep and well exposed. The fame of Barolo and Barbaresco means have an old-fashioned meatiness and tarriness; Then, in 2005, Roero was promoted to DOCG, As well as Nebbiolo and Arneis, there’s that just about every plantable patch of those others are intense but fresher and more limpid. and the Superiore category was eliminated,

Photograph: MolchenPhoto Photograph: Barbera and Favorita on those slopes too. zones is green with vines. Roero is different. It varies from producer to producer. though often replaced by riserva. ➢

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Right: brothers Pierfranco Bovone (left) and Gian ‘A plain Roero Roero producers A21 A21 Nicola Bovone manage Cornarea in Vezza d’Alba Asti 1 Ca’Rossa does have a 2 Cornarea However, it was and is still permitted to 3 Correggia produce Nebbiolo in Roero and label it as 4 Carbone sprightliness River A33 Nebbiolo d’Alba. Pierfranco Bovone of 5 Angelo Negro e Figli ASTI Tanaro N 6 Maurizio Ponchione Cornarea estimates that 80% of all Nebbiolo and fruitiness d’Alba comes from Roero (as it may not be produced from declassified Barolo or Govone you’re unlikey 4 Barbaresco). Moreover, renowned producers Canale 6 ASTI 3 such as Luciano Sandrone, Bruno Giacosa, SWITZERLAND to find in a 5 Vezza Renato Ratti and Prunotto had long made d’Alba excellent Nebbiolo d’Alba from Roero 1 2 basic Barolo’ Limit of vineyards, but for commercial reasons they Piedmont Milan region Po weren’t going to relaunch those wines as ROERO Asti R OER O Barbaresco Tanaro Roero. (Roero, unlike Nebbiolo d’Alba, can FRANCE PIEDMONT contain up to 5% of other varieties, though I Alba Monaco Bra Treiso Ligurian have not found one producer who admits to Marseille A33 Sea adding other grapes.) BARBARESCO CORSICA If that isn’t confusing enough, the same Nebbiolo vineyards can be used to make BAROLO Langhe Nebbiolo, an appellation usually River Serralunga 0 5 10 Tanaro reserved either for declassified Barolo and d’Alba kilometres Barolo Barbaresco, or for simpler Nebbiolo wines

Map: Maggie Nelson Maggie Map: often aged in tanks rather than wood. ➢

Six producers Ca’ Rossa Angelo Ferrio readily admits that he was greatly influenced by the late Matteo Correggia (see below). He bought the property in 1995, but soon expanded it by buying the sandy Audinaggio vineyard. Audinaggio is the source of his basic Roero. This is aged for 18 months in 50% new barriques. By contrast, the riserva, from Mompissano, a site with chalk and clay soils, is aged in large casks for 30 months. He farms his 15 hectares organically and both wines are unfiltered. Nowadays, Angelo is Above: Angelo (left) and Gabriele assisted by his son Stefano. Negro of Angelo Negro e Figli

Cornarea Above: Angelo Ferrio has owned Ca’ Rossa since 1995 and farms his vines organically Barbera as well as Roero. The basic Their many wines include three different Maurizio Ponchione Two Bovone brothers, Pierfranco and Roero is called Srü and is aged for 18 bottlings of Roero. It’s a real family This 10ha estate, based in Govone winemaker Gian Nicola, run this property Correggia I met at the age of eight, when he was months in mostly older barrels. The business, with Gabriele running the midway between Alba and Asti, is now in Vezza d’Alba. Although best known for Matteo Correggia left school at the age already producing a Barbera from his riserva, named Printi, is from a vineyard organic vineyards and Angelo in charge run by the third generation. It’s a typical their Arneis, which their father helped to of 13 after his father’s premature death, own patch of vines!) have maintained the the Monchieros acquired in 1995; this is of production, while other siblings deal Roero property in that many varieties revive in the 1970s, they also produce and by 1987 was running the family very high standards set here. In general, aged for two years in 50% new barriques. with sales and marketing. The two are grown, including Barbera, Arneis, very good Roero. The Nebbiolo vines are property, selling grapes to Roberto the wines are distinctly oaky but have A Srü from their debut vintage of 1990 single-vineyard wines, Prachiosso and Chardonnay and Grignolino, so Nebbiolo planted on southwest-facing slopes, and Voerzio of . It was Voerzio who tremendous fruit concentration. was still fresh and vibrant this year, as San Bernardo, are aged for 22 months represents only a small part of the the grapes are vinified in a traditional encouraged him to bottle his own wines. was the fleshier 2001 Printi. Clearly these in large casks and barriques. Their production. But the single-vineyard manner, with a long maceration of up He was also assisted by Elio Altare. Monchiero Carbone are wines that can age. best-known wine is Sudisfà, a selection Monfrini, made from vines planted in to four weeks, followed by two years in Correggia’s wines soon won admirers, The union of two wine-producing of the finest lots from two sites; this is 1997, is consistently fine. It is barrique- large casks. Just a single Roero is made, but in his late 20s he was killed in a families gave birth to this sizeable Angelo Negro e Figli aged in barriques, of which 20% are new. aged in a high proportion of new wood, and it’s always in a fresh, elegant style vineyard accident. First his widow property in 1990. As with most other This has long been one of Roero’s top Prachiosso and Sudisfà, in particular, yet the red fruits character of the variety with great purity of fruit. Ornella and now his son Giovanni (whom producers here, they make Arneis and estates, with 64 hectares under vine. are highly consistent. still shines through. Photographs: Clay McLachlan/claypix.com(3)Photographs: Clay

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So the same parcel of land could, in theory, ‘I believe Roero has a future; and some new produce three appellations. That means that producers are now making the wine. Fifteen many excellent Nebbiolos are not labelled as years ago there were many poor Roero wines Roero, which does little to validate the DOCG. on the market, but nowadays quality is much Indeed, some growers that used to produce higher and more consistent.’ Roero are now switching to the Langhe Quality may indeed be high, but there is no Nebbiolo DOC as they find that makes it easier consistency of style. The Cornarea wines, for to sell the wines. example, are relatively low in alcohol; those Stephen Brook has It’s a hell of a mess, and there’s no reason from Negro much higher. Each winery seeks a been a contributing why the average consumer – even a devoted different style, and it’s hard to say that one is editor to Decanter Nebbiolo fan – should be able to unravel it. superior to the other. The region also suffers since 1996 and has Nonetheless some producers, such as from a lack of flagship estates, though there won a clutch of awards Giacomo Damonte of Malvirà, are optimistic: are many excellent producers. D for his writing on wine.

Brook’s best: 12 top Roero wines

Angelo Negro e Figli, Chiesa Carlo, Monfriggio’ 2012 91 Ponchione Maurizio, Monfrini’ 2011 91 Sudisfà Riserva 2011 93/100 n/a UK www.vinichiesa.it n/a UK www.ponchionemaurizio.com £29.22 Exel Intense red-fruits nose, lifted and pure. Sweet, smoky oak nose, raspberry Lean but fragrant and Very ripe and juicy, bursting with sweet aromas. Quite rich and suave, elegant raspberry nose. raspberry fruit but not confected. concentrated and peppery, but has Medium-bodied but quiite Concentrated and spicy, has vigour, ample flesh too. Less oaky than the concentrated, with firm complexity and a long zesty finish. nose. Long. Drink 2016-2022 Alc 14.5% tannins to give it grip. Drink 2016-2022 Alc 13.5% Robust but not heavy, chewy Correggia 2010 90 and textured, wih good Cornarea 2010 91 £11.46 (2009) Justerini & Brooks acidity and persistence. n/a UK www.cornarea.com A basic bottling, but with an Drink 2017-2024 Alcohol 14.5% Elegant cherry nose with intense nose that’s lifted a touch of tobacco. Rich, and pure. Very ripe, bursting Malabaila, Castelletto suave and full-bodied, with sweet raspberry fruit and Riserva 2010 93 concentrated but not cherry, but not confected. £24 Vini Italiani extracted. Firm tannins give Juicy and upfront, ripe and Very ripe nose, yet elegant structure and persistence, spicy, surprisingly textured and pure. Medium-bodied and thus has fine potential. but not heavy, with yet concentrated with Drink 2016-2022 Alc 13% invigorating acidity on the fine-grained tannins and finish. Concentrated and spicy, with good acidity. Elegant and Filippo Gallino, Sorano vigour, complexity and a long, zesty persistent, with drive and Riserva 2011 91 finish. Drink 2016-2020 Alc 14% finesse. Drink 2016-2022 £24.96 (2008) The Big Red Alc 14% Wine Co Demarie, Riserva 2011 90 Unusually dark red. Intense £19 Bacco Wines Almondo, Giovanni Almondo raspberry-coulis nose, very Fragrant, intense raspberry Riserva 2011 91 ripe and oaky. Suave and full- nose. Supple and easygoing, n/a UK www.giovannialmondo.com bodied, with firm, ripe tannins but the ample fruit is backed Lush, opulent raspberry nose. Suave and and fine acidity. A powerful by tannins on the mid-palate, concentrated, rounded and forward, style with a long, spicy finish. so it does have structure. Spicy displaying bold but ripe tannins. Long Drink 2016-2024 Alc 14.5% finish, but not yet harmonious. spicy finish. Drink 2017-2024 Alc 14% Quite long. Drink 2017-2024 Monchiero Carbone, Alc 14.8% Cascina Ca’ Rossa, Printi Riserva 2011 91 Mompissano Riserva 2011 91 n/a UK Malvirà, Renesio Riserva 2011 90 n/a UK www.cascinacarossa.com www.monchierocarbone.com £27-£27.19 The Sampler, Vineking Perfumed red-fruits nose. Sweet, pure red-fruits nose, Delicate, graceful, raspberry nose. Silky and fresh, discreet but showing charm and finesse. Supple yet quite concentrated, with ripe elegant, not a showy style Rich and plump, with ripe tannins and moderate acidity. Solid but has firm tannin and tannins and a discreet rather than refined but there’s ample good structure. Long and structure. Harmonious, fruit here. Drink 2016-2024 Alc 14% without discernible alcohol. with acidity and length. Drink 2016-2022 Alc 15% Drink 2016-2022 Alc 14% For full details of UK stockists, see p109

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