Giovanni Almondo 2022 Roero Arneis ‘Bricco di Ciliegie’ Piemonte

The ‘Bricco di Ciliegie’ comes from a section of vines cresting a hill called Vittori, endowed with a high level of limestone deposit. ‘Ciliegie’ is Italian for cherry and this hillside vineyard was a former cherry orchard before vines were planted. With a crisp mouthfeel, subtle white flowers and crushed minerality on the nose, a gift from calcium-based soils, this is a remarkable Italian white to behold. 

The Almondo family has been living in the Roero since the 14^th century, with winemaking beginning in earnest around 1980. From their perch in the area of Monté in the Roero sub-region of Piemonte, the Almondo’s produce mono-varietal wines of uncommon purity. Although they grow Nebbiolo, local Arneis is their calling card and the flagship bottling from their estate fruit is the Bricco di Ciliegie, one of Italy’s secret iconic whites. Arneis is grown elsewhere in the Langhe most notably in parts of Barolo and Barbaresco, yet it is the sandy soils of the Roero where this aromatic grape is its leanest and most expressive self.

WINEMAKER: Domenico Almondo with his sons Federico & Stefano

VARIETAL: 100% Arneis

APPELLATION: Montà, Roero

REGION: Piemonte

IN THE VINEYARD: Certified Organic

IN THE WINERY: Aging in 100% stainless steel vats for 10 months, 5% aged in barrique

ABV%: 13.5

SERVE:  Serve cool in a white wine glass