Fontanafredda's vineyards, in the heart of the Langhe, Piedmont, lie on mostly evenly-contoured hillsides and rounded ridges at an altitude of between 200 and 400 metres. The texture of the mainly calcareous soils can differ within the space of just a few dozen metres; at times loose, with a sand content approaching even 50 at others firmer, with a higher proportion of silt, and above-all clay.
The climate is typically continental, with wide seasonal variations in the temperatures, while the rainfall, concentrated over the spring and autumn months, is highly variable, which is what produces such extraordinarily different vintages.
The history of Fontanafredda as a winery began in 1878, when Emmanuel Guerrieri, Count of Mirafiori, dedicated his entrepreneurial skills to wine with passion and far-sightedness. His approach proved to be thoroughly modern, and he developed many influential techniques for producing wines of quality, in particular Barolo.
Testimony to the estate's noble past remains intact today - the hunting lodge, the hamlet, the extensive cellars, the vineyards - but the winery continues to experiment and move with the times in perfecting what nature and history have handed down.
Barolo DOCG
Grapes: Nebbiolo.
LCBO # 20214 $30.10
Eremo
Grapes: Barbera; Nebbiolo.
LCBO # 616284 $13.95
