Rizieri Winery - Elegant wines from a noble land

Rizieri Winery is placed in the heart of the Langhe, in Diano d’Alba, one of the 11 municipalities that make up the Barolo production area. We only grow our own vineyards: 6.5 hectares (cultivated with Arneis, Dolcetto, Barbera, Merlot and Nebbiolo) surround the nineteenth-century farmhouse, renovating about ten years ago, and the recently built eco-friendly cellar. We’ve got also 1 hectare of Nebbiolo in order to produce Barolo from our MGA Silio that is found in the municipality of La Morra. MGA refers to a specific area officially defined within the production zone of Barolo DOCG. Lying on a hilly calcareous-clayey soil, mainly exposed to the south and surrounded by woods, the vineyards enjoy a particular microclimate which, with its cool and temperate influences, favors an optimal ripening of the grapes.

The photovoltaic system produces clean electricity with the aim of reducing the environmental impact and maximizing energy savings and it’s located on the roof of the cellar.

The company's growth has gone hand in hand with its commitment to environmental sustainability. With this in mind, we fertilize the "lean" vineyards with cow manure and we have banned the use of herbicides. Between the rows we sow barley and legumes that counteract the growth of weeds and nourish the soil and the vines through the green manuring technique. The natural grassing of the rows and frequent green pruning prevent the onset of fungal diseases by minimizing the use of pesticides, among which we prefer sulfur and copper.

Most of the work in the vineyard is done manually. In July we thin out the bunches, practicing the green harvest, to reduce yields and favor optimal ripening. In September, we practice the peeling, to favor the exposure of the grapes to the sun and make them less sensitive to mold. The harvest is also carried out exclusively by hand in order to select only healthy and perfectly ripe grapes. For each individual vineyard, the ideal time for harvesting is established on the basis of the sugar content, acidity and degree of ripeness of the grapes, as well as atmospheric conditions. The bunches are collected in 20 kg perforated boxes to preserve the integrity of the grapes until they are pressed in the cellar.

In the cellar, as in the vineyard, we reduce our intervention to a minimum so that each wine freely expresses character and personality, becoming the faithful mirror of the grapes of origin and of its terroir.

Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature. We like that wood harmonizes and completes our wines without dominating their taste. Therefore, we use 20-30 hectolitre Slavonian and French oak barrels, 500 liter tonneaux and some 225 liter barriques, all lightly toasted.

To be vinified only in steel or even in wood, each wine is given all the time necessary to express itself at its best.

Finally, the red wines are bottled after a light filtration to preserve their aroma, colour and taste.