An old, narrow road leads to the oldest vineyard on the estate, and every spring large almond blossoms fill the air in and around the area with perfume--thus the name Ca' dei Mandorli, which means "House of Almonds." The site has seen grapes thrive here since 1888, and today, fifth-generation grower Stefano Ricagno, along with his father Paolo run the estate. They follow a simple philosophy that wine is best expressed via the vineyard and the grapes of its origin.
Situated in the borough of Castel Rocchero bordering Asti and Monferrato, the 76-acre estate is composed of various soils and altitudes perfect for the growth of the different varieties at the estate. There, each wine is deeply rooted in the land and in the history of the region, all the way down to the vineyard and wine names. Stefano recently spoke to Italian Wine Merchants about two of their wines--Gavi and Brachetto--both derived from indigenous grapes of the same name and the two featured wines in this week's offer.
Their philosophy rings true in their land and in their winemaking. The Ricagnos have perfected the entire Ca' dei Mandorli winemaking process from years of honing meticulous pruning all the way down to the different, and precise, vinification of each wine. Today, father and son truly keep the family business alive--in the vineyards, in the cellar and in each carefully crafted wine.
Ca' dei Mandorli
Pian dei Ronchi Gavi 2008 $22.00
Made of 100 percent Cortese di Gavi, the grapes are cryo-macerated, a process where the juice sits on the skins at an extremely low temperature prior to fermentation, for 24 hours in stainless steel to enhance the youthful fruit aromas. Fermentation lasts three weeks before the wine settles for four months in steel and then rests in bottle for an additional four to six months. Small in quantity--usually 500 cases are produced-Stefano notes that the wine is "very rich in perfumes (vanilla and white flowers) and has a big structure." Balanced by clean acidity and sweet fruit on the palate, this wine is ready to to drink now.
 Ca' dei Mandorli Brachetto d'Acqui Donne Dei Boschi 2009, 500ml, $22.00
Apparently, Brachetto was Cleopatra's favorite wine. For Ca' dei Mandorli, this dessert wine is their flagship. "The Brachetto is our principal wine that my grandfather made in 1939," Stefano told Italian Wine Merchants. "This product is more than a wine. It's aromatic and sweet, so it's something different on the market. It's not so simple to make this wine, because we need to extract the aroma and the color but not all alcohol inside." Donne dei Boschi, named after the women working in the spinning mill, is the name of the wine and their Brachetto vineyard, which sits on the borders of the age-old forest "Bosco delle Sorti." Vinified in a special section of the cellar dedicated only to the family's Brachetto, the wine is fermentated for seven days and pumped over every one to two hours to extract the most color and aromas. Fine, with hints of roses and a pleasant, light sparkle, this wine is captivating with a lingering finish.
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