Cascina Iuli 'La Rina' 2019

100% Slarina, a rare varietal cultivated by few producers in Piedmont. Fermented and aged in concrete and given a light maceration with the skins with few punch-downs, allowing the wine to maintain its bright, black cherry fruit and aroma of summery, fresh-picked-berries. The tannins are soft and expertly integrated into the finish. Perfect, versatile companion to most foods, but a roast chicken is what we were craving alongside this wine. 

Iuli’s vineyards are located in the far north of the Monferrato, in the village of Montaldo di Cerrina. Once a vibrant little town of almost 500, today there are fewer than 100. With the Alps as a backdrop on a clear day, it is set among the last band of dramatic hills and valleys before descending into the rich flatlands of the Po river valley. Fabrizio's grandfather planted vines here in the 1930's after returning home from a factory job in Lombardy. 

Today, Fabrizio and his wife Summer are the only winegrowers in town. His first commercial vintage was 1998, with his Barbera Rossore. Aside from Barbera, the grapes planted in the vineyards include Baratuciat (a nearly-extinct white variety from the Val di Susa), Slarina (a red Monferrato variety also almost lost), Grignolino, Nebbiolo, Pinot Nero, and, of course, Barbera. There are 35 contiguous hectares of land in one valley, with 16 hectares planted to vine. Certified organic, the land has never seen any chemicals. The isolation of the place suits Fabrizio’s desire to instigate and protect biodiversity.