Proprietà Sperino

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Country of Origin: Italy
Location: Lessona, Alto Piemonte
People: Paolo & Luca De Marchi, Owners | Luca De Marchi, Winemaker
Viticulture: Practicing Organic

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Proprietà Sperino was established in the 19th century by Casimiro Sperino, an ophthalmologist and military doctor with a passion for winemaking. His son, Felice, took up the reins and contributed considerable research to the battle against phylloxera. The estate passed to the De Marchi family, who all but abandoned it until 1999, when Paolo De Marchi and his son Luca revived the historic family estate, the Castle of Lessona located in Capovilla Castello. Luca is extremely passionate about restoring the traditions of Lessona as well as documenting the area's viticulture history.

The property is situated in the Castello quarter of the village Lessona (Biella) at the foothills of the Northern Piedmont Alps. The majority of its vines are grown at the foot of Monte Rosa, with the rest in neighboring districts. Its yellow and marine sands have been protected by the Alps, and the soil maintains some of the highest levels of acidity in the world. This fact, coupled with its dry climate, cool breezes, and long growing season, make for extremely complex grapes with the potential for long-lived wines.

The Nebbiolo grape reigns supreme in this woodsy district. It’s grown without herbicides or chemical fertilizers; rather, they house millions of California red earthworms to turn manure into nutrient-rich humus. The grapes are hand-harvested, hand-sorted, and fermented in broad, open, wooden casks. The result is wine that uniquely expresses the nobility of the Nebbiolo grape, for which Piedmont is famed.

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