A méthode champenoise from Piemonte. Chardonnay
in the land of reds. Barrique-aged Nebbiolo and Barbera.
They may not sound significant or revolutionary, but
in the seventies, these unprecedented efforts of the
late Valentino Migliorini helped change the wine landscape
in Barolo. Valentino Migliorini was one of Piemonte’s
most profound agents of transformation: His larger-than-life
personality won acceptance in the land most resistant
to change, and his portfolio of wines from the Rocche
dei Manzoni estate inspired many of Piemonte’s
great winemakers to rethink Barolo and to think beyond
Nebbiolo. Valentino Migliorini’s recent passing
(in December of 2007) is a tremendous loss not only to
the Italian wine community but to the wine realm at large.
His son, Rodolfo, however, has worked by his side for
several years, and will continue to honor his father
in both practice and principle. Moreover, there remain
many wines that have been crafted under his care, including
the 1999 Pianpolvere Soprano (released in 2006) and the
Barolo Riserva 1999 Madonna Assunta La Villa—a
cru wine that will be released in 2009.
Situated in the Manzoni Soprani area of Monforte d’Alba,
Rocche dei Manzoni was originally established in the
1700s, commencing its modern era in 1974, when Valentino
and his wife, Jolanda, purchased the old winery and its
prized vineyards. Valentino had
fallen in love with Piemonte when visiting the region
to acquire a selection of reds to serve at his Michelin-starred
restaurant in Emilia-Romagna. The fashionable Francophile
returned to Barolo with the winemaking skills he had
acquired from his father. His passion for Nebbiolo soon
surpassed his dedication to the regional dishes of Emilia-Romagna,
leading him to abandon the renowned restaurant that had
brought him fame and to pursue his passion for the vine
through fearless experimentation.
Initial production included Dolcetto, Barbera, and
Barolo, yet Valentino did not adhere to either the area's
traditional varietal constituency nor practices. He was
the first to plant Chardonnay (for his barrel-fermented
L'Angelica) and produced the Langhe's premiere blend—Bricco
Manzoni (80% Nebbiolo and 20% Barbera)—in 1976,
for which he employed small French oak barrels. Its younger
sibling in the portfolio is Quatr Nas, an innovative blend of Nebbiolo, Cabernet
Sauvignon, Pinot Nero, and Merlot.
It is easy to cast Valentino as a modernist, but to
taste his early Barolos from the late seventies and early
eighties is to experience Barolo’s classic side.
Valentino firmly attributed his success to viticulture
rather than vinification: His respect for the land always
took precedence, and there is no disputing the remarkable
ageworthiness of his wines—an element that makes
these some of the greatest values in Piemonte. Valentino’s
representation of the historic Santo Stefano di Perno
Vineyard constitutes the cru dei cru of his
single-vineyard Barolos. Valentino’s Barolos generally
require several years of age in order to reach a place
wherein the various elements realize a cohesive
whole and reflect the nature of their respective sites.
Vigna d'la
Roul and Big 'd Big are his other single-vineyard
Barolos.
