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Azienda Agricola
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| The Winery |
In the Roero, amidst wild scenary of particular charm and beauty, the presence of man is revealed by the mosaic of crops that penetrate among the oak, chestnut and Scotch pine woods, alternating in perfect harmony with the carefully laidout plots of vines, fruit trees, strawberries and asparagus.
In the heart of this precious setting, where the first houses of the town of Canale are to be found, the roads which follow the rocky terrain, winding between the villages of Monteu and S. Stefano Roero, meet in peace of the softer slopes leading down from the ridge, on hills fashioned by the precise geometry of the vineyards. At the top of the crest, looking out over fifteen hectares of vineyards, lies an elegant manor-house: the CORNAREA. The villa, which the lawyer Eugenio Grillone, one of the most noted personalities of the period, had built in 1908, shows the same attention to detail that he dedicated to the planting of the vineyards. Today, however, visitors are no longer welcomed by a notable man of the law, but by a gracious lady, whose charm is matched by her entrepreneurial talents and experience in the field of oenology: Francesca Rapetti. Ably assisted by her husband, she runs the CORNAREA winery, foremost among Roero wine-makers for its modern, functional structures. With typical womanly intuition, she has forged the character of the winery's production in her belief that the exposure of the hilly slopes to the sun, the nature of the soil and the microclimatic conditions to be found on this estate were best-suited to the growing of grapes destined to produce a wine of great finesse and elegance, with a fragrant aroma, and an intense, inviting flavour: Arneis. The CORNAREA wine-company believed in this wine right from the start, and, first in the area to do so, invested heavily in total plant renewal and recovery of a "rare" vine which is today emblazoned with the D.O.C. appellation (Denomination of Controled Origin). Love for this white wine, however, has had to leave some room for a concession which is only too obvious in a land where red wines are something more than simply a tradition, succumbing to the attractions of ROERO D.O.C., a pleasant, breezy wine produced from the pressing of nebbiolo grapes of the highest quality, also grown on these slopes. From the hills to the cellars, the passion for the vine turns into understanding and man demonstrates his talent for fulfilling the original qualities and character of the grape. Here again, CORNAREA has chosen with great care, working with the help of modern technology, while continuing to follow the rhythms and dictates of tradition. The result is to be found in the glass, where knowledge, hard work, intuition and research flow together. All of this is in the "CORNAREA" wines, a name which is now synonymous with high quality and unquestionable prestige. |
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| Our wines | ARNEISTHE WINEAn extremely elegant wine, Arneis Cornarea sheds immediate light on the success of this still rare Piedmontese white. Its colour, with its slight suggestion of straw-yellow, introduces the light aroma of flowers and fresh fruit that is released in the glass and then comes to life again in its delicate, dry taste which leaves a highiy agreeable trace of almonds on the palate. The Arneis grape has chosen the Roero as its home: having probably originated in these "difficuit" hills, the vine owes its "recovery" and extended cultivation to Cornarea, a service which has been repaid- in its own way - by offering grapes of the highest quality in these vineyards. THE VINEYARD |
 Gastronomy This is a highly versatile wine, which - due to its structure - accompanies hors-d'oeuvres (hot and cold) and tasty first course (risottos and soups) magnificently, though it does not disdain cheeses, especially if they are semimature. It is naturally excellent with white meat and fish: clams, oysters, sea-food risottos, smoked fish in aromatic herbs bring out its harmonious, elegant characteristics, and refined taste. |
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ROEROTHE WINENoble offspring of the Nebbiolo grape, its characteristic austerity is softened by the addition of a small percentage of Arneis (c. 5%), giving it an extremeiy pleasant flavour, and explaining why - from the times of the House of Savoy - it was affectionately known as "Nebbiolino". With an alcoholic content of 120 and total acidity of 5 per thousand, Roero Cornarea is young and fresh, refreshingiy "new" in its ciassic style, and very drinkable; its ruby colour is not over-intense, and it is full of fruity, flowery aromas: not only marasca cherries, roses and violets, but also a subtle trace of spices, delighfully confirmed by the palate, where a warm, dry flavour, which is harmonious and velvety, makes its tasting more complete and intense. THE VINEYARD |
 Gastronomy When young, Roero Cornarea is delightful with tasty, appetizing starters, white meats and flavoursome first courses. Following at least one year's ageing it is magnificent with red meats, roasts, game and cheeses. | |||
TARASCOPASSITO OF ARNEISThe particular microclimate of the Cornarea vineyards, with humid heat in the daytime and cold nights, accounts for the development of a mouid calied "Botrytis Cinerea" or "noble rot" on the aiready-ripe Arneis grapes. This covers the berries, dehydrating them and increasing their sugar content. The loss of water can be as high as 60%, which suggests the "richness" that is transmitted from the grapes to the wine. Harvesting takes piace severai times so that the berries are picked at exactiy the right point of over-maturation. The fermentation is difficuit, owing to the great quantity of sugar which restrains the yeasts. lt ends when the wine has reached an alcoholic content of 14,5 - 15. The ageing of Tarasco takes piace in 225 lt. Allier barriques, and it lasts three or more years. Tarasco is a very long-iasting passito. When young, it is intenseiy straw-yelìow, tending to gold, but as the years pass its colour softens, producing intense golden reflections. lts aroma recalis toasted hazeinuts, wainut hulis, honey, quince jam and liiies, while its fiavour shows great body and elegance; it is fuli and gentie, with unbeatabie punch and vigour. Tarasco shouid be served at c.8 C.. lt is at its best with strong cheeses, such as Gorgonzola, Castiemagno or Rochefort, but it is also excelient with dry pastries. |
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