Cantina Massara "Verduno Pelaverga" Piedmont, Italy 2023

FROM THE PIEDMONT GUY:

THE WINE: 100% Pelaverga Piccolo from three vineyard sites in the village of Verduno: Silio (southeast at 280 m. a.s.l.), Campasso (east at 250-300 m. a.s.l.), and Neirane (east at 210 m. a.s.l.). Planted on chalky-white, rather sandy soils. The grapes are crushed and left in contact with their skins for eight days in temperature-controlled, stainless-steel tanks in which temperatures are not allowed to exceed 25°C. Delicate pumpovers ensure that enough oxygen is introduced to ensure the must is well blended while stimulating the fermentative and enzymatic processes thus favoring the development of aromas, in particular floral and pepper notes.

THE PRODUCER: To fully appreciate the legacy of Cantina Massara, one must refer to the storied past of the Burlotto family in Verduno. Tucked in the northwestern corner of Barolo next to the Tanaro River, this village’s picturesque hilltops afford some of the most sweeping panoramas of the Langhe and beyond. Cantina Massara's origins can be traced to the 1850s, when Giovan Battista Burlotto began to make fine wine in Verduno. He was ultimately granted the distinguished title of Commendatore G.B. Burlotto, and by the time of his death in 1927, G.B. Burlotto was Verduno’s indisputable favorite son. The next several decades marked a period of expansion for the Burlotto family, especially in the year 1940 when the family fractured into three winemaking entities—the nascent Cantina Massara and Castello di Verduno in addition to the extant Comm. G.B. Burlotto. Now among today’s brightest stars of Verduno, Cantina Massara is helmed by fifth-generation Gian Carlo Burlotto along with his son Gianluca and his daughter Claudia. The historic estate’s three Baroli and a mesmerizing bottling of the rare Pelaverga Piccolo grape collectively embody the unique characteristics of Verduno-based wines that are remarkably perfumed and lifted while tempering power with tension.