Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All VintagesThis has aromas of dried cherries, cardamom, mint and orange peel. Medium-bodied with sleek tannins and a savory, flavorful palate.
Villadoria, a winery deeply-rooted in tradition is building a bridge to the future. Over the years, the Lanzavecchia family, winemakers for four generations, has witnessed the evolution of an area which has its most precious treasure in wine. The Serralunga d’Alba hills, in the heart of Barolo, is the ideal location for the cultivation of the native vines at the origin of Piedmont’s most prestigious wines. It is in this invaluable land that Villadoria is located on the Cappallotto Estate: over 20 hectares in the heart of the Langhe. From starting as a nursery selling root stock to other growers in the late 1800’s they opened their winery in 1959.
In recent years, Daniele Lanzavecchia turned over the winemaking to his daughter Paola. Her talents have raised the profile of Villadoria by applying the most modern technology to the concept of traditional production, which takes meticulous care with every stage of the process. They farm naturally/sustainably, not using any pesticides or chemical fertilizers and are founding members of the Associazione Nazionale Biotipico.
Paola has renovated the old cellars and brought in new casks and barriques, designed a new tasting room and the overall look and feel of the winery. She is continually improving the quality and flavor profiles of her family’s wines. Her wines are the “new bridge” in the sense that they are softer, more elegant with integrated tannins yet still uphold the “iron fist inside a velvet glove” tradition of what makes Piedmont wines the most prestigious of all of Italy.
Set upon a backdrop of the visually stunning Alps, the enchanting and rolling hills of Piedmont are the source of some of the country’s longest-lived and most sought-after red wines. Vineyards cover a great majority of the land area—especially in Barolo—with the most prized sites at the top hilltops or on south-facing slopes where sunlight exposure is maximized. Piedmont has a continental climate with hot, humid summers leading to cold winters and precipitation year-round. The reliable autumnal fog provides a cooling effect, especially beneficial for Nebbiolo, Piedmont’s most prestigious variety.
In fact, Nebbiolo is named exactly for the arrival of this pre-harvest fog (called “nebbia” in Italian), which prolongs cluster hang time and allows full phenolic balance and ripeness. Harvest of Nebbiolo is last among Piedmont's wine varieties, occurring sometime in October. This grape is responsible for the exalted Piedmont wines of Barbaresco and Barolo, known for their ageability, firm tannins and hallmark aromas of tar and roses. Nebbiolo wines, despite their pale hue, pack a pleasing punch of flavor and structure; the best examples can require about a decade’s wait before they become approachable. Barbaresco tends to be more elegant in style while Barolo is more powerful. Across the Tanaro River, the Roero region, and farther north, the regions of Gattinara and Ghemme, also produce excellent quality Nebbiolo.
Easy-going Barbera is the most planted grape in Piedmont, beloved for its trademark high acidity, low tannin and juicy red fruit. Dolcetto, Piedmont’s other important red grape, is usually ready within a couple of years of release.
White wines, while less ubiquitous here, should not be missed. Key Piedmont wine varieties include Arneis, Cortese, Timorasso, Erbaluce and the sweet, charming Muscat, responsible for the brilliantly recognizable, Moscato d'Asti.
Responsible for some of the most elegant and age-worthy wines in the world, Nebbiolo, named for the ubiquitous autumnal fog (called nebbia in Italian), is the star variety of northern Italy’s Piedmont region. Grown throughout the area, as well as in the neighboring Valle d’Aosta and Valtellina, it reaches its highest potential in the Piedmontese villages of Barolo, Barbaresco and Roero. Outside of Italy, growers are still very much in the experimentation stage but some success has been achieved in parts of California. Somm Secret—If you’re new to Nebbiolo, start with a charming, wallet-friendly, early-drinking Langhe Nebbiolo or Nebbiolo d'Alba.