The
Ascheri winery is located in the historic Piedmontese town of Bra.
Founded in the late 19th century, the winery today is run by Matteo
Ascheri. Ascheri combines long experience and fidelity to native Langhe
wines with a modern outlook to produce their unique wines in the best
possible way. He produces all the major Piedmontese white and red
wines, as well as several outstanding cru or single vineyard bottlings
These wines may be tasted along with native food specialties at the
family’s remarkable restaurant, the Osteria Murivecchi.
The estate’s vineyard practices are
sustainable, without the use of
chemical treatments and synthetic fertilizer. The goal is to produce
the best quality grapes in order to have a non- interventionist
practice in the winery. Beginning with the 1990 vintage, Ascheri
introduced the Collezione Matteo Ascheri line, which consists of
traditional but neglected Piedmontese wines such as Pelaverga which are
now vinified in a contemporary style. 1997 marked the debut of his
Syrah and Viognier bottling from a replanted historic vineyard in the
hometown of Bra. Matteo has also reorganized his Barolo production
around a series of crus in the La Morra-Verduno and Serralunga d’Alba
production zones. His monumental 2006 Barolos are now released, and
have quickly garnered international acclaim
The
Ascheri white wines are labeled to honor Matteo’s mother Cristina. They
are at once very expressive, fresh, and richly textured — all the
result of Ascheri’s practice of keeping yields low and meticulous
vinification. The Langhe
Arneis
is an exceptionally fruity example of this native varietal. After 6
hours of skin contact, the Arneis is fermented at low temperature in
stainless-steel tanks for 2 weeks and then aged in tank on its fine
lees until bottling in February. The Arneis offers vivid, fresh and
crisp flavors of pear, apricots, almonds and minerals. It is a great
match for all light foods, vegetable pastas and pizzas, and as an
aperitif. The Gavi di
Gavi has
a round, almost creamy texture with bright peach, pear and apple
flavors. It is a perfect wine for sea food, grilled and baked fish, and
white meats. After 10 hours of skin contact, the Gavi ferments at low
temperature in stainless-steel tanks for two weeks and is then aged in
tank until bottling in February. While in tank, both the Arneis and
Gavi wines remain on their lees and are regularly stirred so as to
enrich their body and depth of flavor. Depending on the year, to attain
the desired balance between freshness and richness, Ascheri allows his
Arneis and Gavi to undergo full, or partial, malolactic fermentation.
The Moscato d’Asti
is harvested
in early September and gently pressed. It is bottled in December to
preserve all of the wine’s exceptionally exuberant and zesty peach,
citrus, ginger and mango flavored fruit. The Moscato d’Asti can be
enjoyed with foods or on its own.
Turning to the red wines, the
saturated, dark purple colored
Dolcetto Nirane
originates in the La Morra region. It is harvested in mid September and
aged in stainless steel for 6 months to enhance its lush and grapey
character. Ascheri’s Dolcetto is bursting with aromas and flavors of
ripe fruit – violets, dark plums and berries – and has a soft and
generous texture on the palate. The Dolcetto Nirane is a highly
versatile wine and pairs with almost all foods: grilled fish and meats,
all pastas, Chinese, Thai and Indian dishes, and most cheeses. Ascheri’s Barbera Fontanelle
comes from sloping hillsides with clay-limestone soils in the La Morra
area. It is hand harvested in mid-October and vinified in stainless
steel vats at 28° temperature (Celsius). The Barbera is then aged
in1800-litre Slavonian-oak casks which are 75% new for 9 months. The
neutral oak moderates the natural acidity of the Barbera grapes and
helps give the wine an excellent depth of flavor, texture and length.
Opulently ripe, red and black berry and cherry flavors, with a touch of
dark chocolate, combine with a soft acidity to make the Ascheri Barbera
an ideal match for pastas with tomato or cream- based sauces,
charcuterie and grilled white meats. Ascheri’s Nebbiolo d’Alba Bricco San Giacomo
is a baby Barolo. The vineyard is located in Verduno, a small commune
near La Morra on a limestone-clay soil. Ascheri harvests the Nebbiolo
grapes in the first week of October. The young wine spends 6 months in
stainless steel tanks, and then competes its aging with 6 additional
months in 3000-litre Slavonian old-oak casks. It is bottled one year
after harvest. As it meant to be enjoyed upon release, the complex
range of Nebbiolo flavors are already accessible: licorice and
spice-nuanced back cherry and raspberry fruit, with minerally earth
tones with a medium weight texture. Perhaps the wine’s most striking
aspect is its long, pure, elegant, focused and penetrating finish:
remarkable!
The2006 Barolo DOCG is blend
of about equal amounts of Nebbiolo grapes selected from the estate’s
vineyards in La Morra and Serralunga. Fermentation occurs over a period
of 40 days. It is then aged in tanks for 6 months; followed by 2 years
in 3000 litre oak casks; and then 4 months in tank before bottling in
July 2009; and finally 10 months in bottle before release. As it meant
to be enjoyed young, the complex range of Nebbiolo flavors are already
accessible: licorice and spice-nuanced back cherry and raspberry fruit,
scents of truffles, with minerally earth tones with a generous,
texture. It pairs wonderfully with grilled meats, game, robust pastas,
and full flavored cheeses. The Barolo DOCG is a fine introduction to
the estate’s three, superb 2006 single vineyard Barolos, the La Morra
based Barolo Pisapola and the Serralunga based Barollo Sorano and
Sorano Coste e Bricco.
Matteo Ascheri speaks about his
philosophy of wine production:
“ Wine is becoming more uniform the world over, as producers use the
same grapes, employ the same technologies, the same barrels for aging
and especially the same consultants. My objective is to make
distinctive wine which expresses its vineyard site, the grape varieties
used and in particular, my own ideas about how it should be made. To
accomplish this, I developed my vineyards with the aim of selecting the
clones most suitable for expressing the personality of the vine in each
site, planted on non-vigorous rootstocks. I directed for 6 years the
Viticultural Experimentation Center for the Piedmont Region. This
experience has allowed me to work in close contact with the research
world and to make optimum use of the results obtained in recent years.
My preferred rootstock is known as 420A. I like it for its low vigour,
which permits the fruit a longer maturation period on the plant and
later harvest times. Beyond the choice of plant materials, we have
developed particular cultivation techniques for every phase of the
vine’s vegetative cycle, and our own style of soil management. New
pruning systems, quick and careful attention to canopy management, and
clipping the fruiting cane a few days prior to harvest are examples of
the way we “guide” our vineyards. In the winery, we vinify our grapes
without the aid of too much technology. We don’t use roto-fermenters,
must concentrators, reverse osmosis filters, micro-oxygenators and
similar amenities. I want to make natural wines, with concentration
derived from the vineyard and the qualities of balance, elegance and
finesse.”
