“Welcome,” says elegant Maria Borio, owner of the Cascina Castlet winery in Costigliole d’Asti, as we enter her personal two-story apartment for our wine tasting.
We are in Monferatto, Piedmont. and the sleek modern Cascina Castlet winery is just a five-minute walk away on a night with a gorgeous full moon.We are in Monferatto, Piedmont. and the sleek modern Cascina Castlet winery is just a five-minute walk away on a night with a gorgeous full moon.
As we settle in for the tasting, I am introduced to the winery’s handsome technical director, Giorgio Gozzelino.
Maria is the heir to the winery estate.
She was a female pioneer in the 1970s when she took over from her father.She was a female pioneer in the 1970s when she took over from her father.
I am very excited for the tasting because the bottles have very energizing labels, and I am certain there is a story with each one of them.
Yet before the tasting can start, the doorbell rings – it is a thirsty neighbor looking to buy some wine!
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Then the door buzzer rings again and again.
It is at this moment I realize that in Italy–or at least, in this region, it is not like New York city where there is a wine store on every corner.
It appears the locals are used to just buzzing their winemaker neighbor for a bottle or two.It appears the locals are used to just buzzing their winemaker neighbor for a bottle or two.
The tasting begins with a Chardonnay called Taj 2015.
Lots of juicy acidity, and also some buttery notes from lees stirring. You can definitely sense the soil – there’s this sense of calcareous soil, limestone. The wine has a long mineral finish. The winemaking process is basically a stainless steel fermentation and then they leave it on the lees until March.
And Taj has a VERY cool name and label. Through the lovely translator (and family friend) Ameriga Vozza,
I am told that that Maria asked her friends to submit a name for this new Chardonnay. One name submitted was Taj. Though they decided upon this name, Maria included the other submitted names from friends on the label, in small, more faded letters.
So I am loving this wine, both in terms of style (elegant, sophisticated), and the fun label that goes with it.
The next wine is a rosé, 2015, with a beautiful color and fabulous taste – tart with bright acidity and a crisp dry mineral finish. It is a blend of 80% Barbera and 20% Nebbiolo, the color of a “partridge eye.” There are subtle aromas of cherries and I can’t imagine a better wine to accompany food.
Coj Joy 2015, a sparkling Barbera (half bottle size) is next. They make it in the Charmat method and are quite refreshing.
The faces around the tasting table turn more serious when we get to the Barbera d’Asti 2015.The faces around the tasting table turn more serious when we get to the Barbera d’Asti 2015.
It is one of the biggest selling wines. It is lovely, a simple wine, sold at a fair price, goes well with the number of original food. I can imagine it with a salad, or pasta. They make it from several vineyards, with mostly young vines, and some purchased fruit.
Next we try one of the winery’s signature wines, from the prestigious Litina vineyards, a Barbera d’Asti matured nine months in a mix of French and Slavonian oak. It is well-balanced and complex.
The Passum vineyard Barbera d’’Asti is a selection of grapes from a small vineyard collected in tiny plastic boxes to preserve freshness.
The wine is very rich and very complex.
And the secret to this is that 80% of the grapes have been drying for a month to add that richness.And the secret to this is that 80% of the grapes have been drying for a month to add that richness.
Maturation takes place half in Slavonian oak and half in French larger barrique. The flavors are incredible—chocolate, cherry – that delicious combination you get in Amarone.
We have another “exotic label experience” when we try the Policalpo, a blend of Barbera and Cabernet Sauvignon from a prestigious old vineyard.
The label depicts an arrow–curious, is it not? The designer chose the arrow symbol after having a conversation with Maria and Giorgio about what the wine supposed to reflect.
From what I can understand of the conversation in Italian, as Maria and Giorgio discussed it, the arrow symbolizes an arrival point – equilibrium between the Cabernet Sauvignon and Barbera.
Now we come to the Uceline 2011, a forgotten grape variety. It is a black color and like Cabernet Sauvignon.
Moscato d’Ast - it is lovely. Aromas of white flowers and that delicious sweetness.Moscato d’Ast – it is lovely. Aromas of white flowers and that delicious sweetness.
The tasting ends with the Avie’ Passito from dried grapes – lovely expressions of dried apricot and marzipan. They make it from the oldest vineyard.
After the tasting we visit the winery, which is modern, and features a tasting room with all the historic vintages displayed.
Then we all go to one of the prestigious restaurants near the winery where we tried many of the wines we tasted earlier with cuisine.
It was lovely to have spoken with Maria, winemaker Giorgio, and translator Ameriga Vozza – a very brilliant woman who also has a touring company.