Solong Beppe Colla, great producer in Langa

One of the last patriarchs of Langhe, Beppe Colla was also president of the Consorzio del Barolo e Barbaresco in the difficult years of the methanol scandal.

Beppe Colla, a visionary and innovative winemaker and one of the greatest producers who have worked all his life in the Langhe, left us. He was 88 years old and this year would have celebrated the 70th harvest: after graduating from the Umberto I School of Oenology, at the age of 19 he was called upon to manage what at the time was the largest winery in Alba, the Bonardi winery, and in 1956 he bought another historic winery in Alba, Prunotto.

Daniele Cernilli remembers: "He was a great person. I met him in 1980, and I owe him, when he was the owner of Prunotto, some of the greatest wines ever drunk. I perfectly remember his monumental Barolo Bussia Soprana 1971. He was one of the very first, if not the first, to produce his wines from the Langhe citing the cru, as Veronelli suggested. Thus he produced Barolo Bussia Soprana and Cannubi, Barbaresco Rabajà, Montestefano and Pora, Nebbiolo d'Alba Monteu Roero, Barbera d'Alba Pian Romualdo, which are still partly produced by the Antinori who are the current owners of that legendary winery. Then it sold the company to Illva, and only later was it taken over by Antinori. Together with his brother Tino, he bought the Bricco del Drago from Cavalier De Giacomi and began to produce wines under the company name of Poderi Colla, continuing to propose great reds.

I also remember a dramatic interview with Stefano Bonilli when he worked for Di Tasca Nostra at the time of the methanol scandal. Beppe Colla burst into tears saying that he would never have thought anyone could do such things, and demonstrating all his human depth as a great gentleman.

A hug to his brother Tino and his family. Beppe Colla was one of the best people I met in forty years of living in the world of wine. I will remember him with affection and regret."