Tacchino

Italy

The Winery

When Romina's father, Luigi, was only 11 years old, his own papa passed away and his mother had to sell the family's vineyards to survive on her own with three children. Years later, however, now married and with a family of his own, Luigi managed to buy back the exact same piece of land his mother had once sold! So, you can imagine just how heartfelt the family is today when it comes to their vines. Their first official bottling came in 1960 (starting with the "Trivoli" sparkling wine, which they sold in nearby Liguria along the coast), and as they grew, Luigi taught Romina and Alessio all that he knew. Romina laughs, "I must have been ten years old when I started helping in the cellar... I remember I kept dancing, dancing to the rhythm of the pump to help pass the time!" She also recalls those first few years she helped with the harvest, and the feeling of celebration that came along with it. “The whole family would eat lunch in the shade of a big cherry tree, and Grandma Clelia always made pasta fagioli for everyone…because it tastes so good cold. We would pour a little olive oil over the top and listen as the older women sang." Such a life! No wonder Romina still has such a sparkle in her eye and spring in her step today.

In addition to the family's original 6 hectares of vines located in Castelleto d'Orba, they purchased an additional 6 in nearby Lerma in 1999. Although the two sites are only separated by 200 meters, they lie on opposite sides of a natural amphitheater, and have different exposures, altitudes, and soil types. On the Lerma side, vines sit at 300-450 meters with E-SE exposure and sit directly on a long line of white tufo that stretches all the way from Alto Monferrato to La Morra in the Barolo district. Just a stone's throw away, the Castelletto d'Orba vines enjoy S-SW exposure and grow in a small line of red clay. According to Romina, grapes planted here fare better during times of dry weather, whereas the white tufo is better in humid years. So in any given vintage, they're able to counterbalance the two sites to help maintain their wine's acidic backbone, freshness, and consistency.

Enologist
Mario Ronco
Grapes Grown by Winery
Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon,Cortese, Dolcetto
Vineyard Size
12.0 ha
Winemaker
Romina Tacchino
Winemaker Biography
Meticulous, thoughtful, and full of joy, Dolcetto masters Romina Tacchino and her brother Alessio work side by side in the high, green hills of Alto Monferrato. Subtle, subalpine aromatics tend to belie complex, powerhouse palates bursting with flavor. And with multiple Tre Bicchiere awards now under their belts, they're clearly just hitting their stride!
Winemaker Generation
3rd
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