• #roséallyear: happy rosé everyone!

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    I’m busy bottling the 2018 vintage of our Langhe doc Rosato, a young, fresh and cheerful wine, made from Nebbiolo grapes.

    It could be because it’ll be St. Valentine’s Day soon, or perhaps it’s that spring is just around the corner. Whatever the reason, I find myself wanting to talk about rosé, or perhaps I should use the Italian word, rosato.

    The first thing I want to do is dispel a few clichés.

    Rosato is NOT:

    a summer wine

    a wine for women

    a wine for amateur palates

    a wine that cannot be aged

    We’re with the Huffington Post, which has launched the hashtag #roséallyear! While rosé was once considered a wine for drinking in summer, we now drink it all year round and from the start to the finish of a meal.

    The other myth to be dispelled is that it’s a wine for women: a survey by Nomisma Wine Monitor tells us that 73% of women and 67% of men buy rosé wines.

    I’ve taken a look at some of the figures: in recent years, consumption has risen particularly among the millennials. As much as one bottle of wine in every 10 consumed in the world is rosé and four in 10 bottles are consumed outside the country where they are made.

    Global production is around 24 million hectolitres, accounting for about 10% of the wines consumed throughout the world (data source: France Agrimere). And according to the study, international consumption of rosé wines is growing 1-2% annually.

    The French continue to be the leading producers, also leading the rankings for consumption, import and export. Italy is the world’s second exporter in terms of volume, with 16%. And demand is rising, particularly for rosé wines made with native grapes.

    I love it with fresh cheeses, fish and shellfish, but in her blog, Donatella Cinelli Colombini says it’s fantastic with pizza too.

    Happy rosé everyone!

     

  • The challenge of a 100% Nebbiolo sparkling wine from the Langhe

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    Sometimes the best things come about by sheer chance. And this is exactly what happened with my sparkling wine, a native-grape bubbly, made with 100% Nebbiolo and vinified according to the Classic Method. It was September 2009. My dad walked into the cellar and said: “I want to try making a sparkling wine with Nebbiolo”. I didn’t pay all that much attention to what he was saying; I just let him get on with it. I thought he was just playing around. Anyway, we experimented the first vinification with the 2009 vintage. The second experiment took place in 2013, bringing forward the grape harvest to August. I gradually began to understand that Nebbiolo isn’t just perfect for the production of great reds like Barolo, it’s ideal for making sparkling wine too.

    The response from our customers confirmed that we were heading in the right direction and gave us the strength to pursue our project. Today we make around five thousand bottles of our sparkling wine “made in Langhe”. We are thinking about increasing the vineyard surface area dedicated to the production of our Nebbiolo d’Alba doc Metodo Classico.

    And we aren’t alone in believing in the production of a local bubbly. Along with other winemakers from Piedmont and Valle d’Aosta, in 2017 we set up a group called Nebbiolo Noblesse, united by a common aim: the production and promotion of Spumante Metodo Classico 100% Nebbiolo. Every year, we organise events, evenings and tastings.

    Together we are carrying on a story which dates back at least two centuries. Although we still have a great deal of studying to do, we know that Nebbiolo was used to make a sparkling wine way back at the beginning of the 19th century. The first document is dated 1787 and is a report on the visit by US President Thomas Jefferson to Turin, during which “staying at the Hotel Angleterre, he drank red wine made with Nebbiolo, finding it as sparkling as Champagne”. A letter addressed to one Giovanni Antonio Giobert mentions Nebbiolo used for sparkling wines and, in 1839, Prof. Euclide Milano made a list of sparkling Piedmontese wines that included nebiù d’Asti spumante.

    Lorenzo Tablino talks about the history of sparkling wines made with the Nebbiolo grape in his blog.

    Spumanti classici a base Nebbiolo: storia

    Around 250 thousand bottles of bubbly are currently made every year made from Nebbiolo.

     

  • The dancing art of PurpleRyta and my reflections on the five senses

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    In the beginning everything was chaotic and in turmoil; this is what we’re told in the stories of the beginning of the world, so how could it possibly be different for any other new beginning? Today, after a day spent working in the vineyards and the cellar, and looking after my children, I took an hour to reflect a little.

    The turmoil of sounds gives birth to a melody, the turmoil of words gives birth to a thought which can be refined and become a story, a poem or a song. And in the very same way, a wine stain can be used to generate a painting, a multisensory work of art.

    The art of PurpleRyta with the wine 

    And this is how the works of Rita Barbero, aka PurpleRyta, are born, from wine that is poured onto paper and becomes a stain, giving life to the creative process. The wine dances across the sheet and creates images and inspiration which she then moulds into art.

    Rita Barbero’s “wine paintings” are quite literally multisensory works of art. They involve all the senses of those who stand and admire them: sight, smell, taste but also touch (think of the astringency of tannins, which is textured), and sound – everyone is familiar with the sound made by bubbles when they fizz up inside a wine glass and make the atmosphere in a room sparkling and fun.

    The works of PurpleRyta are both entertaining and sensual, dancing on paper and just begging to be admired and discovered with all the senses. They are paintings that talk about the vine, grapes and wine as feminine art elements.

    Rita Barbero guest at our winery on Saturday the 15th of December

    Rita Barbero will be a guest at our winery on Saturday the 15th of December, and will be bringing her art and her “women with messy hair”, for an event where everyone will have the chance to paint with wine.

    An afternoon devoted entirely to the nectar of the gods and to art, in which each participant can discover how the senses interact with wine, along with the brain and the body. 

    “Painting with wine and tasting: Barbera and Nebbiolo, two very different grape varieties and wines: let’s explore them with all five senses”, this is the event I’m organising at the winery, dedicated to those who want to play and have fun with their senses and with wine.

    Appointment at 2:30 p.m. at the winery in Località Castelletto 39, Monforte d’Alba; the cost of admission is €15.00 per participant.

    sara-vezza-firma

     

  • 5 reasons to visit my cellar (even when it’s cold)

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    Here I am at the end of a long day, as rich as ever of so much work in the management of my farm and beyond.

    I often tell friends about my days and their question is always the same: “Sara, how are you doing everything?” Yes, good question! Sometimes I ask myself how I do it. I talked about it some time ago in my blog: my company, 4 children and a husband represent in reality my energy to face with joy and serenity all my daily challenges

    Precisely with the arrival of the cold season, when the long summer, which culminates with the September harvest, is now behind me I like to rethink all the work of the last months and the many people who visited my cellar during the beautiful season.

    Each tasting is a unique moment

    Every person, every tasting is a special moment. I welcome winelovers (… and not only) from all over Italy and the world in a moment of meeting that goes well beyond the simple wine tasting. They are moments of exchange in which my desire is to build a community. A group of people that increases year after year, which is a first time and then a second until, almost without realizing it, a friendship is established and the tasting becomes a fixed appointment year after year to rekindle and tell a lot of things with a good glass of wine.

    I thought then to share here with you 5 reasons why visit my cellar, (even when you are in full autumn or winter) that for me are really very important:

    1. Drink wine, an excellent wine. It seems obvious but it is not. A visit to the cellar must have as a central moment the wine tasting! If this is not good, you risk losing much of the magic of the moment. The wine I produce is the result of the work and passion of all those who work in my company. Thanks to this commitment we have received many international awards that give us the incentive to improve and always offer a better product.
    2. Know the history of my company. Starting from my grandfather Ernesto Saffirio up to me, we have been cultivating the vineyard for more than two centuries and telling this territory through our wines. I love to describe this story as a marvelous adventure in the land of the Langhe, made of passion and love. A story that excites me every time I tell it to those who want to listen.
    3. Enjoy a unique territory. My company is in Monforte d’Alba, we are in the Langhe, a UNESCO heritage. I am proudly part of this territory and if you come to find me you will discover not only unique wines but, also, postcard landscapes. During the last summer I proposed some itineraries in the area that can also be done in autumn or winter. Every season in the Langhe has its own peculiarities that deserve to be seen. Discover my itineraries:
    4. Discovering my eco-sustainable winery. A very important project that I realized is the modernization of my cellar, a structure designed to integrate into the rural landscape and reduce the environmental impact. The entire building has been designed to optimize work and resources. A winery in harmony with its territory that blends with my idea of sustainable viticulture
    5. Participate in my projects. I have always understood my activity as a wine producer as something that goes well beyond the vineyard. It means for me to take care of my territory. I do this by always investing in new projects. One of the initiatives I am particularly proud of is Adpot a row, I talked about it in my blog in October. By joining this project you will become part of my community of adopters, who take care of a precious row and you will contribute to participate in the preservation of a unique environment, protecting the traditions and practices necessary for the birth of a true Barolo DOCG.

    If you wish to book a tasting session in my cellar, click here and you can experience the 5 points that I have just told you in person! If I think back to what I just wrote now I can explain how I can do everything. The passion for everything I do allows me to face with a smile the myriad commitments of my mother’s day, businesswoman and wife and a part of the merit is yours! With your visits to the winery, at meeting times with my adopters, I understand that everything I’m doing makes sense.

    Looking forward to seeing you soon!

  • Adopt a row: at the origins of Barolo

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    We are in the Langhe, a land where vineyards stretch out on the hills and where the scent of grapes blends together that of the ground. A land that gives you really exciting glimpses!

    So, it seems quite natural that one the most precious wines, famous all over the world, has its origins in this unique land: I’m talking about Barolo DOCG wine, the symbol of our country.

    This wine comes from a long production process that starts in the vineyard, goes through the harvesting, the ageing and, finally, finishes with the bottling.

    Are you aware of all the work that lies behind every Barolo bottle?

    Imagine doing this experience directly: Now you’re coming with me in our vineyard and you’re going to take part in a unique experience, passed down from generation to generation. An experience made of dexterity, passion and patience.

    Imagine tasting Nebbiolo grapes straight from the vines, while you learn the culture of wine and discover everything about the wine making, from the vineyard to the cellar.

    Imagine yourself tasting a real, high quality Barolo DOCG. And you are the one who helped make that same Barolo, following step by step all its life, all the works in the vineyard till the harvesting, such an important moment!

    What you are imagining it’s already reality: It’s the “Adopt a row” project.

    Why I have so strongly wanted the “Adopt a row” project become a reality

    I strongly wanted the “Adopt a row in the Langhe” project because it’s a very good way to make you – and all the other wine lovers like you – more aware of the work that lies behind a bottle of Barolo. By joining this project you’ll become for real a protagonist of what happens in the backstage of my winery: You’ll be with me in every step, throughout the works in the vineyard and the harvesting, and we’ll wait together during the ageing, till the bottling.

    And… You’ll experience the real final product of your row: you’ll receive a case of wine, your wine! In fact, if you become an adopter of a row, this row will be dedicated to you and it will have your own name. Then, I’ll write you an email with monthly updates on what is going on in your row.

    “Wherever you live, adopt a row in the Langhe and experience directly the farming, the growing up and the making of an excellent wine, such as Barolo DOCG.”

    Sara Vezza

    Adopt a row is safeguarding this land

    Adopting a Josetta Saffirio’s row is not only about giving yourself some good bottles of wine. No, it’s much more. For me, it’s a challenge and I have gladly taken it up: it’s about becoming part of a more wide project of safeguarding of this unique land, in which we take care of our traditions and of the skillful work necessary for the creation of an excellent Barolo DOCG. When you’ll join this project, you’ll become a member of the adopters community, too. A community of people that take care of a precious row like you do.

    I have always promoted actions that have a positive effect on this region and I think the “Adopt a row” project is one of them: it involves people that love wine, it brings them beyond the tasting wine moment, it creates a real community of people who have the same values of respect and take care of the land, values that are mine, too.

    I think I’ve already won this challenge: It’s only 2 years since “Adopt a row” has started and more than 50 people all over the world have joined it, and are closed to me every month of the year during my work.

    Adopt a row: how to join the project

    If you want to join the project and live this exciting experience, you can click here or you can write an email to info@josettasaffirio.com: I’m pleased to give you more informations!

    What does the “Contract of adoption” include?

    • Your name and surname will be written on the row adopted by you and on the “Adoption certificate”.
    • 6 bottles of Barolo DOCG wine made from your adopted row and 6 bottles of other wines produced in my winery.
    • You can visit our cellar whenever you want (advance notice required) and I’ll be pleased to offer you a free tasting of our best wines, combined with a selection of local products.
    • There’s a 10% discount on the purchase of our wine bottles, reserved for you when you’ll visit my winery.
    • You‘ll receive in your email box regular updates on the different stages of your wine production.
    • Special events only for the adopters like you. And much more!

    I wait for you to become part of my adopters community: you’ll live a wonderful adventure and we’ll be the main actors of it, tight by our passion and our love for this wine, the Barolo, symbol of the Langhe.

  • Grape harvest: what does it mean?

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    The time has arrived, it’s September again. This is a very important month because it takes with it the core activity of my winery: the grape harvest. And now, I reap the rewards of a year’s work: all the cares given to my vines turn into the long-awaited crop and, finally, into the vintage 2018 wine.

    The meaning of harvesting: my point of view

    In this piece I won’t focus on how this new vintage will be. Rather I’d like to explain you what harvesting means to me. Its meaning has been passed on to me by my grandfather, Ernesto Saffirio. I’ve always lived the harvesting as a kind of ritual, with a deep impact not only on the land but also on our society. The grape picking days were always the most awaited by the farmers. In my heart I still remind of me as a child, looking at all the countryside around me moving in a big ferment. It was at the first sunrise that the harvest started: great passion and strong resolve were our only working tools. A first bunch in the basket, then another one and so on, till the basket was full and ready to be moved to the cellar. Every ripe bunch was the outcome of the hard work and the ongoing commitment of all the farmers: they treated each grape as a son. Nowadays we use modern tools and we make specific analysis on sugar and acidity levels in order to identify the best time to start harvesting. But we don’t use any technology in our countryside. So, me and my assistants live the harvesting days always with the same mood, coming from the past.

    Harvesting: a liaison between land and Community

    The ritual of harvesting is the final step of all the work made in the wineyard throughout the year, a ritual in wich are involved all the vine workers. It’s a kind of relay that joins the grape vine to the bottle. For me harvesting is exactly this: a meeting between our Community and our land. As I told you some time ago, in my opinion, wine is something alive, with a vital force of its own. I don’t feel myself as a “wine producer”. I feel more like an actress playing in the game of Nature, instead: I help the plants so that they can grow up in the best way possible. For this reason I’ve decided to produce wine with a more and more sustainable approach, with a deep respect for land, vine and all the surroundings.

    “The care of our land from the vineyard to the bottle, in wich all your cheers become a tribute to our community and to our countryside. Think of that when you’ll taste one of my wines!”

    Sara Vezza

    Next events “Harvesting 2018”

    In order to share with all of you – beloved followers of my winery – the key moment of the harvest, I’ve planned two events in October.

    • The harvest of the gnome:

    an event for both young and old. You will pick the grapes with us and then experience the grapes pressing! It will be not only an amazing day but also an education moment, to pass on to the children the value of a so important period for this company. If you want to participate click here

    • The harvest party:

    the harvest party has always been a very important event in which all the Community was involved. In the same spirit of the bygone days, we wait for you: you can enjoy the guided tour of our winery. You will breathe the fermenting wine and have the “Farmer’s lunch”: a platter of cold cuts, three starters, dessert and a tasting of our wines, of course.

    Come with us! For your reservation click here

  • An itinerary for the summer: 3 castles in the Langhe

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    Welcome back to the now usual summer event dedicated to the routes of our territory. In June and July I had focused on two itineraries to discover Alta and Bassa Langa, today we see a new thematic itinerary dedicated to 3 important castles in the Langhe. In the sinuous intertwining of rolling hills and vineyards, these imposing medieval fortresses dominate the horizon, which are a heritage of our cultural landscape.

    Castle of Monticello D’Alba

    Our itinerary starts from here, a few kilometers from Alba, we find the castle of Monticello, one of the best preserved of the whole area. Its origin is very ancient and dates back to the year one thousand. The castle is owned by the Roero family of Monticello since 1372.

    Today the Castle is structured on three floors, each with a hall to visit. We have an arms room, where you can see an exhibition of weapons belonging to different historical periods, then we find the room dedicated to paintings with portraits of the Roero family, finally we have a large billiard room. You can also visit the garden that preserves its original fourteenth-century structure.

    The architectural peculiarity of the castle is the presence of three towers that have a different plan: a tower has a square, a round and an octagonal shape.

    To visit the castle here you will find all the informations.

    Castle of Grinzane Cavour

    Not far from Monticello we find Grinzane with its famous castle. Its position between vineyards and hills makes it even more impressive, a bulwark to protect the territory. He hosted Camillo Benso Count of Cavour, who transformed it into a center of excellent wine production.

    The castle, in addition to the undeniable architectural beauty that fits perfectly into the landscape, is worth a visit because it is home to many attractions. Inside you can find:

    • The Piemontese Cavour Regional wine shop: in addition to local wines and spirits, there is a rich selection of local products ranging from jams to muscat vinegar.
    • Langhe Museum: a museum dedicated to the territory. The visits are conducted by the same Count of Cavour who will guide you to discover the manor. If you are nearby in August here find the dates of the month in which the guided tour is planned.
    • Restaurant: if you want to give yourself a gastronomic experience, the castle has an exclusive restaurant inside edited by Chef Marc Lanteri in which seasonal flavors are paired with fine wines that only the Langhe can offer.

    In addition, since 1999 the castle has been home to the now traditional white truffle auction worldwide. An event that sees the participation of fans from all over the world to win the best truffles of the season.

    Do not forget this castle because, in addition to being a UNESCO heritage, it is truly a gem, for information on contacts and visiting hours here you will find all the information to organize at best your visit.

    Castle of Barolo

    10 minutes from Grinzane, here is another suggestive fortress: the castle of Barolo. The manor stands in the beautiful village of Barolo which gives its name to the famous Piedmontese wine famous all over the world. The castle has a very ancient history dating back to the tenth century. Currently it is home to WIMU, which is the wine museum. An original immersion in the culture of this product that will involve you from the panoramic terrace up to the historic cellars of the castle. The wine is discovered in a thematic path that ranges between art, culture and local traditions. The tour winds through 25 exhibition rooms divided into 5 floors.

    If you visit the castle, do not miss the opportunity to take a fascinating tour through the streets of Barolo, in addition to the beauty of the country surrounded by hills and vineyards, you can find the Corkscrew Museum. A journey that tells the story of an object as small as it is essential to taste a good bottle of wine. In the visit you can see up to 500 corkscrews from all over the world ranging from 1600 to today.

    Visit our cellar

    At the end of this tour of 3 wonderful castles just 10 minutes from Barolo you can visit us. The Josetta Saffirio farm is located not far from Monforte d’Alba. We will be open until August 19th and we are waiting for you for a tasty langarola snack: our best wines accompanied by local meats and cheeses. A moment of relaxation in which you can tell us about your trip and visit our cellar. I like to create an authentic relationship with those who decide to visit my company, listening and telling the many projects that we see as protagonists. I love my territory and I love to tell it and share it with those who want to find out.

    If you would like to find out about our company you can contact us directly at info@josettasaffirio.com or click on the button below

    Book your visit

  • An itinerary for the summer: from Montelupo Albese to Monforte d’Alba

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    After the itinerary I proposed to you in June, here is another route to visit our territory and discover new locations. In July I thought of a tour of Alta and Bassa Langa, where history, art and culture blend with vineyards and postcard views. Yes, the Langhe are all this!

    From Montelupo Albese to Rodello

    You can start from Montelupo Albese, a small village situated above the mountains and placed on a hill. Its name seems to derive from the wolves that, according to an ancient legend, lived in this height. The country is characterized by the beauty of its landscape. Located about 600 meters. above sea level allows you to enjoy enchanting views: from the western alpine arc where Monviso stands out to the green hills that surround it. Going up further you can visit another picturesque village called Rodello. It stands on the crest of a hill, is characterized by healthy air and here we find a generous and refreshing view. The church of the Immaculate Conception is now home to the Museum of Contemporary Sacred Art “Dedalo Montali”. A museum of modern and religious art that is unique in the local and national scene. If in addition to loving the breathtaking views you are passionate about art I suggest you do not miss the opportunity to visit Rodello.

    Sinio and Roddino

    Descending towards the Talloria Valley we meet Sinio. Small village perched on the green hills. Formerly called Sineum today is a rural and tourist center. It stretches over the hills of the Bassa Langa and is surrounded by vineyards and hazel groves. I point out that the pro loco in the summer season organizes night walks and on August 14th there is the “Notte delle Masche” party not to be missed if you’re around! The village is transformed into a magical village.
    Continuing our journey we arrive at Roddino, between Alta and Bassa langa, where the ancient salt route used to pass. Immediately striking the eye is the wide expanse of vineyards of Dolcetto and Nebbiolo that surround the village and make it a place of absolute charm from which it is worth passing.

    Monforte d’Alba

    The route ends in Monforte d’Alba, the area where our company is based. We are located in the Langa del Barolo. As we saw in the June itinerary Monforte is a small pearl of history in the heart of this territory. The town square, thanks to its particular shape, during the summer turns into an auditorium which is home to cultural events. In particular, I would like to point out that there are numerous music concerts during the months of July and August . If you happen to be in the area during one of these I suggest you do not miss the chance! A unique setting in the world that becomes even more magical in the summer months, creating a unique atmosphere linked to the landscape.

    Visit our cellar

    A few kilometers from Monforte you can find our cellar, where you can enjoy a sweet break. It will be wonderful to welcome you in the barrels where we slowly refine our wines and talk with you about the beauties you have visited during your journey, giving you new ideas for your trip.
    The visit to our cellar will be a complete sensory experience, tasting our wines accompanied by tasty platters of local meats and cheeses. It will be an opportunity to combine the beauty of the landscape with the pleasure of tasting, an ideal union of all that this beautiful area can offer our visitors. So you can keep a vivid memory of your experience.

    For more information you can write to info@josettasaffirio.com or directly click on the button below.

     

    Book your visit

  • An itinerary for the summer: from Sale San Giovanni to Monforte d’Alba

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    Summer is coming! Despite the rains, abundant precipitations in May, the beautiful season is finally here. The Langhe are a marvellous territory rich in landscapes, food and wine and historical-cultural beauties. These characteristics make it pleasant to visit at any time of the year.
    In particular, summer allows you to fully enjoy all the local beauties accompanied by a pleasant climate that will make your visit unforgettable. For this reason I thought of some itineraries that I will recommend here in my blog throughout the summer to discover villages and seductive landscapes to make your visit in our territory unforgettable.

    Sale San Giovanni

    The first step of our route is Sale San Giovanni, located on a hilly area about 600 meters above sea level. The village is famous for being the “Provence of the Langhe”! Yes, the small centre of the Alta Langa is famous for its splendid expanses of lavender. If you want to take a tour, here you find a map with all the plantations that can be visited. I recommend a visit just in June because in this month you will witness the flowering of the plants and you can enjoy a unique naturalistic spectacle. Also from 22 to 24 June 2018 Sale San Giovanni hosts “Not only Herbs” an exhibition dedicated to medicinal plants and aromatic herbs that animates the country of events and guided tours. Here you can find the program of the event..

    Murazzano

    Going up from Sale San Giovanni we are in Murazzano, about 700 meters above sea level. The town is famous for its medieval tower, 33 meters high, which dominates the town. For those who wish it can be visited. I recommend a visit because from its top you can enjoy a truly incredible panorama. From the tower you can also see the land that has recently become property of our company to develop an ambitious (long-term) project on bubbles and whites. It is a unique body of 16 hectares, really impressed!
    Not far from Murazzano there is the Safari Park of the Langhe. Along a 5 km trail, which can be run across by car, you will be able to see many species of live animals (there are about 350) guests of the park. If you get hungry at the end of the path, take a trip to the Trattoria da Lele, where you can find a familiar atmosphere to taste the authentic flavors of the Langhe.

    Dogliani

    After Murazzano, going down, we find Dogliani. Little center of the Bassa Langa famous all over the world for its Dolcetto, it is absolutely worth a visit. Today the country is characterized by the presence of two distinct historical centers. On one side there is the castle and on the other one the village. I suggest you to take a walk along the streets of Dogliani you can admire the clock tower and, among the most interesting buildings, there are the Sanctuary of the Madonna delle Grazie and the Church of the Immaculate. Do not miss the “Dolcetto Wine Shop of Dogliani” located in the medieval basements of the Town Hall and group the best of local production of Dolcetto di Dogliani Winery I recommend not leaving Dogliani before having tasted a good glass of Dolcetto and admiring the view from the wonderful “Piazza del Belvedere”.

    Monforte D’alba

    After visiting Dogliani I suggest you take the road to San Luigi to reach Monforte. It is a road located on the crest of the hill that allows you to enjoy a priceless view. Last stop of this itinerary is Monforte d’Alba, territory where our company is based. We are located in the Langa del Barolo. The medieval structure of the old town that develops around the castle is characterized by very narrow streets and features that invite you to a short walk. The noble palace of the Marquises Scarampi of Cairo has been built from the ancient castle. We also find the mighty Romanesque tower that is what remains of the ancient medieval church, demolished at the beginning of the 900. The unique feature of the central square of the village is its amphitheater shape. Precisely because of this configuration it has been transformed into a summer auditorium named after the Polish pianist Horszowski who inaugurated it in 1986. During the summer season, it hosts numerous events from music concerts to theatrical performances and film screenings. In the evening you will be submerged in the soft light of a timeless stage.
    Then you go down to the village taking the underpass to the right of the square, a characteristic tunnel for a popular legend that, according to tradition, would be animated by ghosts, moans and moans. The souls of the Càtari that populated the hill many years ago. Precisely the castle of Monforte, built in the Middle Ages, was a center for preaching the heresy càtara. The fortress was taken and burned around 1208 by the Archbishop of Milan.

    Visit our Cellar

    Also our company is located in Monforte, one of the 11 Municipalities that produce Barolo. We have been winemakers for five generations and with great passion we produce wine, with attention to quality and profound respect for the land we grow. In a few minutes you can reach us and visit our company. We will be happy to welcome you and tell you about the history of our winery, guiding you through the curiosities of our production, from the harvest to the labelling phase. It will be a great pleasure to have you with us on the farm and to walk among the barrels, among which the wine is silently matured. Immersed in the nature that surrounds us you will taste our wines accompanied by tasty platters of local meats and cheeses. It will be an opportunity to talk about the places you have visited and suggest new destinations in our wonderful land of Langa.
    For more information and for reserving your spot you can write at info@josettasaffirio.com or directly click on the button below.

     

    Book your visit

     

  • Why we have chosen the path of sustainable production and organic production

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    Why we have chosen the path of sustainable production and organic production

    The road to sustainability is a direction that we have chosen to adopt in the company for over 10 years, not only for practices related to winemaking processes, from the field to the winery, but also in all the initiatives to which I participate or promote in person.

    A choice that was born from two main principles:

    • The very strong connection with the territory:
      • we are pieces of a puzzle, it is fundamental to understand this. We are not the authors of a wine, but actors of nature: we help plants to grow, like children and we are in contact with something alive: the Earth, the wine and all that surrounds them. Wine is a vital force: rich in micro-organisms without which it could not evolve. This is why we have chosen to orient ourselves towards sustainability based on a strong sense of responsibility towards the earth and the coming generations.
    • Sustainability has to start from within:
      • we can not use it like a dress to make ourselves more beautiful: there must be a soul, a heart that beats, we must believe in it even if sometimes it is about making choices that apparently seem anti-economic in the logic of an immediate profit.

    Today, Josetta Saffirio is proudly a certified organic CCPB company, whose sustainable processes are approved by Ecoprowine.

    In a period in which the demand and consumption of healthy and natural food, obtained with a low environmental impact, grows every day, I reinforce an important choice that I made many years ago with the aim of respecting our territory.

    “We have been growing vineyards in Monforte d’Alba for over two centuries and five generations, trying to express the territory through our wines. Harvest after harvest, we sink our roots in this land of Langa”

    What it means to produce wine in a sustainable way

    I believe that producing wine means treating the vineyards with respect for the land and the responsibility to leave to our children the precious heritage I received from my parents: a unique and generous territory that produces wines of exquisite elegance and exceptional longevity, famous all over the world.
    The vineyard and its work must not be an element detached from the landscape, an instrument for exploiting the land but, on the contrary, something through which to start a virtuous process of enrichment of the territory itself. The plant symbol par excellence for those who produce wine, the vineyard, becomes the main vehicle of care of the territory on which it is located. This change of vision allows us to produce better wines and at the same time do good to our environment. The challenge is this: the production of high quality wines must be linked to sustainable processes in the field and in the cellar.

    How I put this in practice

    Starting from these assumptions, I decided to put this concepts into everyday activities. Our wine comes from a care of vineyards that does not include chemicals. Any type of product that may have a negative impact on our land has been banned. We only use organic fertilizers that, unlike the first ones, allow to enrich the soil and to nourish our grapes in a “natural” way. Also in our vineyards we use grassing, letting the grass grow to combat soil erosion and make the vineyard more liveable and passable. We use special prototypes of tractors that, with their reduced weight, contribute to not press excessively on the ground, avoiding its crush.

    Fieldwork is just one aspect of my business, which is why I have supported a sustainable renewal process that involves the entire company.

    • In 2006 we started designing the new winery, a structure designed to be integrated into the rural landscape and reduce heat exchange, isolating the perimeter with natural cork. The building has been designed to optimize work and resources. On the ground floor we find the whole part concerning the first processing of the grapes: from the harvest to the fermentations. At that point the wine for fall is transferred underground, where it will silently age in the barrels.
    • In 2009 we designed and created the Biopark and every year we increase the area of managed forest and this allows us, on one hand to protect the local flora and fauna, on the other to reduce our carbon impact.
    • In 2010 we inaugurated the new photovoltaic system that allows us to reduce CO2 emissions by 13,000 kg every year.
    • We use 90% recycled glass for our bottles, shorter corks and a thinner cardboard for packaging.

    Not only in the company: my sustainable initiatives

    In order to promote and raise awareness for the environment, the company organizes social and educational activities that also involve children, to promote the idea that the land is an asset and as such it deserves respect and attention. We focus very much on these activities that aim to raise awareness of the new generations on the beauty of nature.

    For the IED students of Turin I created a contest on the theme of sustainability starting from the waste materials of our cellar. This is how the ReWineD project was born: converting what is no longer useful for our production purposes into new functional design objects for other industries or fields.

    Another important initiative undertaken is that of Adopt a Row, that allows all those who wish to be responsible for their own row to see it grow day by day. A way to involve wine lovers in the care of the territory as well

    Now it is on you

    One thing that I often say to all those who visit our cellars is that sustainability processes require the intervention of the final consumer as well! Yes, you! Every time you buy a wine, try to read the label and understand if the wine you are drinking is good for the environment. Sipping an ethical and sustainable product gives a double satisfaction and allows you to contribute to a virtuous wine culture. The future of our planet also passes from here.