Description
La Foia comes from the Arborina Vineyard. This famous site is one of Barolo’s finest. Lying to the east of La Morra, exposed to the south and steeply sloped, the vines grow on a complex, well drained mix of marl, limestone, clay and sand. It is famed for producing elegant, medium bodied wines with exceptional aromatics – characters which Nadia’s wines show in abundance.
Nadia makes two bottlings from her vines, the Arborina, and La Foia. La Foia is produced in the ‘traditional’ fashion – a long cool maceration followed by long fermentation and ageing in Botti -large, 30-40hl, casks that impart no wood character. Such a good colour, so pretty in the glass. Haunting nose of red cherry, dried fruit, and dried flowers alongside rose petal and hot earth. This is juicier on the palate than the Arborina bottling, a little brighter too, with a tongue coating structure of fine, peppery tannins. The structure forms a spine, around which myriad complex flavours express themselves, leading to a perfumed finish, floral and spicy, which lasts and lasts. Glorious wine.
About the Domaine
Based in La Morra, in the east of the Barolo zone, Nadia’s roots run deep, influencing her organic approach to viticulture, as well as her wine making style. Her uncle is the famous Elio Altare, a leading light in Barolo’s modern revival, while her father specialised in traditional wines. Nadia has taken influences from both, while adding her own enthusiasm and character.
La Morra is known for producing perfumed and expressive Barolos, medium bodied, elegant and not quite as structured as some of the other villages. One of its undisputed ‘grand cru’ vineyards is the Arborina, made famous by Uncle Elio amongst others. Here we find Nadia’s Nebbiolo and Barbera vines.
Nadia joined her parent’s Curto Marco estate in 2000. Comprised of just 4ha of vines, its small size means everything can be done by hand. Nadia takes great pleasure in hoeing the rows and feels she knows her vines intimately, and can perceive their needs. Only organic treatments are used, natural manure, pheromones traps rather than insecticides, Nadia knows that for her vines to be happy, the environment they grow in must be healthy and natural. All picking is by hand, into small crates. Yields are kept low. In the winery fermentations happen naturally and the wines are bottled unfiltered and unfined, the better to preserve their natural freshness and vitality.
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