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, in a modern style, and La Foia, which is traditionally made.
The Riserva, made only in the best vintages from the best fruit, spends an extra year in barrel, and an extra two years in bottle, before release. This doesn’t mean the 2015 is ready to drink now though – the long ageing process produces wines which need extended bottle time. Today, the colour is so beautiful, a pale ruby turning to orange, glowing in the glass. It takes some time to coax out the full spectrum of flavours, cherry fruit, orange peel, spice, liquorice, tobacco, but with time to unfurl in the glass this becomes exceptionally perfumed. The evolving, complex, palate fills out wonderfully, with a long kaleidoscopic finish, while the fine, firm tannins suggest the longevity one can expect. A superb wine, really a beauty, that deserves another 5 years before drinking.
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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