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Fontanafredda

Fontanafredda has an illustrious history – the estate was bought in 1885 by Vittorio Emanuele II, the first King of Italy. It is located in Serralunga d'Alba in Piedmont, in north-west Italy, and was a gift for the woman he loved, his principle mistress Rosa Vercellana, popularly known as “La Bella Rosina”. In 1866 the King then acquired a vineyard in Barolo to make wine for his personal use, naming the site Tenimenti de Barolo e Fontanafredda. The first wines were made in the Fontanafredda cellars in 1870, although a Fontanafredda Barolo is mentioned from as early as 1867. In 1878 Count Emanuele Alberto Guerrieri di Mirafiore, the son of Rosa and Vittorio established the wine-growing estate with over 300 hectares. He meant business from the start, and became a legend in Barolo. He installed the first concrete vats in Europe in the cellars and took Barolo to the international market. By 1890 his wines, sold under the Casa E. di Mirafiore label, was being exported all over the world and had won many awards. Huge success followed, but in 1931 a combination of phylloxera and the Great American Depression saw deterioration come to a head, and the estate was sold to Monte dei Paschi di Sienna, Italy's oldest bank. They renamed the wines after the name of the property, Fontanafredda, while the Mirafiore label was acquired by the Gancia family. After WW2, between 1950 and 1959, the reputation of Fontanafredda became renowned again with Cavalier Giuseppe Bressano at the helm, and continued to succeed; in 2006 Fontanafredda was chosen as the wine to commemorate the 20th Winter Olympics in Turin. In 2008, after 77 years, Fontanafredda retuned to Piedmontese ownership when it was bought by Oscar Farinetti and Luca Baffigo. They are passionate about the environment and sustainability. Close to 120 hectares are farmed organically, it is the largest continuous wine estate in the Langhe. 44% of their production is red, split between Barolo [they are the biggest private producers of Barolo, including 5 Barolo Cru wines], Barbaresco, Nebbiolo, Barbera, Dolcetto and other red wines. White wines cover 26% of the production with Arneis, Gavi, Chardonnay, Moscato and other typical white varieties of the region. The remaining 30% is dedicated to Alta Langa Metodo Classico and Asti sparkling wines. The vineyards are spread between the villages of Serralunga d'Alba, Barolo, Diano d'Alba, Dogliani, Faigliano Alba and Rodello, at altitudes of between 250 and 420 metres above sea level. The vines were planted between 1940 and 1999, and when they need replanting they use their own massali selections to ensure the genetic continuity of the grape. The soils are rich, mainly calcareous with different textures, even within a few metres apart, from sandy to more loamy and clayey. The terroir-driven wines from this historic estate are precise, with an elegance that makes them stand apart. The legacy continues …..............

www.fontanafredda.it