Cascina Iuli, "La Rina" 2019

From a village in the final outcropping of hills in Monferrato of Piedmont’s Alessandrina Province, on a clear day, you could squint and see the snowcapped peaks of the Italian Alps. They’d be there in the distance, beyond the flatlands of the Po River Valley in your more immediate foreground. Perhaps for such a view, you’d be in Montaldo di Cerrina, privy to the difficulties & particularities of the latest vintage of wines from the only winery in this beautiful, sleepy hamlet: Cascina Iuli. Fabrizio Iuli is the principal vignaoli of the historic Cascina where rare, nearly-extinct indigenous Piemontese varieties are given license to not only survive, but to find honest, old-school vinous expression. The estate began in the 1920s when Fabrizio’s grandfather moved back to his tiny hometown from Lombardy’s factory life in an effort to join up with a newfound marching band – that he would become the clarinetist of the group! Moving back had its windfalls as well – the birth of Cascina Iuli and a small Osteria run out of the family’s living room. The sense of generosity and conviviality runs deeply in the bloodline. For Fabrizio, his first vintage at the helm of the estate was in 1998. This land is 35 hectares large with 16 planted to vine, all certified organic with biodynamic practices applied from time immemorial, the vineyards chemical-free from the outset (100+ years). They grow heirloom vines of Baratuciat, Slarina, Pinot Nero, Grignolino, Nebbiolo, & Barbera. These are pure, old-school Piemontese country wines with The Real Thing – elegant, honest, deep, yet generous. These are Iuli.

100% Slarina, a rare varietal cultivated by few producers in Piedmont. Fermented and aged in concrete and given a light maceration with the skins with few punch-downs, allowing the wine to maintain its bright, black cherry fruit and aroma of summery, fresh-picked-berries. The tannins are soft and expertly integrated into the finish. Perfect, versatile companion to most foods, but a roast chicken is what we were craving alongside this wine.