Bricco del Bosco Vigne Vecchie, all the spices of Monferrato (1)

The subject is Grignolino, its production, characteristics and one of its leading interpreters, Giulio Accornero & Figli. 

In that kind of triangle that runs from Casale Monferrato, in the heart of Piedmont, down to Ovada, not far from the border with Liguria, passing through Asti and Costigliole d’Asti, Monferrato appears to be an infinity of hills with light-colored soils, where grapes are the dominate crop.

A UNESCO Heritage Site since 2014, together with the Langhe, Monferrato is a land of Barbera in its various incarnations, from the young and frizzy ones to the older, more important versions; of fantastic Dolcetto wines that are perfect with a meal; and extraordinary sweet sparkling wines – from Moscato d’Asti on down. It is a zone that in its northernmost part, the area around Casale Monferrato and named Monferrato Casalese, produces an authentic gem: Grignolino.

This wine has ancient roots that date at least to 1249 even if there are traces of it as far back as 700AD. Grignolino was considered to be one of the greatest Piedmont reds in the last century and while it was not always loved, it was never ignored. Veronelli defined it as “harebrained”, just like the Monferrato natives who did not like to mix with strangers.

Its glorious history was put into question, strangely enough, by the introduction of the designation of origin appellations at the start of the 1970s, when there was little demand for aged wines and farmers were inclined to favor quantity over quality. The definition of Grignolino del Monferrato Casalese in 1971 was limited to “describing” a version of Grignolino that had been aged for many years (something the informed wine lover appreciated) but this aspect was not included in the regulations governing its production. Today these regulations for a DOC or DOP (PDO) classification are being re-written to include a Riserva, which had always existed but had been cancelled by the 1971 classification. Mario Soldati appreciated the quality of aged Grignolino and described tastings of some amazing old vintages.

An association was created a few years ago called Monferace, composed of a dozen or so producers of all the Grignolino appellations, which seeks to promote, with even stricter production standards, the integrity of this wine.

The Accornero estate is in Vignale Monferrato. While the name may not mean much to many wine lovers, its wine are what Serralunga d’Alba is for Barolo. This because the hills around Vignale bring out the best from the Grignolino. The varietal is not easy to manage in the vineyard, because it reacts more like a white grape to certain adversities, like chlorosis, and this may compromise the bunches on the same vine and within the bunch itself. However, the grape responds well to human intervention and different climate conditions can give it structure and various aromas.

The grape is also difficult in the winery, where the bold tannins need to be tamed, and the color is not that intense and tends to lean towards garnet. When it is at its best it is a red wine with distinct aromas that have a spicy imprint with notes that are mostly of fruit and flowers and vary greatly depending on the terroir. It is a red that is exalted by age which eliminates the drying character of the tannins.

The Bricco del Bosco vineyard has a soil rich in tuff and chalk and is situated in a sunny and breezy position at the top of a hill. The estate is currently selecting shoots from a Grignolino vineyard planted in 1961 in order to genetically edit it and bring back the flavors of the past.

Ermanno Accornero has been running the estate for a couple years now, following the death of his father Giulio in 2015.

DoctorWine: Accornero seems to be a beacon for Monferrato Casalese.

Ermanno Accornero:  I think this is because it is a family affair. When my brother Massimo (who died prematurely in 2004, ed.note) and I began, both very young in 1980, there were already signs of a ‘renaissance’ that in a few years would sweep across the wine world in Piedmont.  We were not immune to this new wave and, with our parents’ full support, we began to experiment with different approaches to develop our father’s estate, making changes and modernizing it to be in tune with the times but at the same time maintaining a clear goal: expand without abandoning the family’s winemaking style, enlarge the estate to what it is today and create a loyal customer base. My brother and I thus totally overhauled the estate, drew up a new business plan, brought in new equipment and adopted a new managerial approach and all while remaining consistent with the values we inherited from our father.

(Tomorrow we will continue our interview and follow it with a vertical tasting of Grignolino Vigne Vecchie).

Giulio Accornero & figli 
Owner : Famiglia Accornero
Via Ca' Cima, 1
15049 Vignale Monferrato (AL)
Tel. +39 0142 933317
Fax +39 0142 933219
info@accornerovini.it
http://www.accornerovini.it
Facebook : Azienda-Agricola-Accornero-Giulio-figli
Foundation Year : 1897
Total produced bottles : 100.000
Hectares of vineyards : 22

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