Langhe Rosso D.O.C. Arpàss
This wine is made from a traditional grape combination in the Langhe area: Barbera and Nebbiolo. The most important native grape varieties in Piedmont together breathe life into Arpass, which in Piedmontese means ‘to return’. It is, in fact, a wine that Villadoria has proposed as a return to the ancient traditions of the past, when grape varieties were rarely used alone, but mixed up in the vineyards themselves. The result is a substantial red wine, with all Barbera’s fruit and Nebbiolo’s structure melded together perfectly.
Grape variety
Predominantly Barbera, Nebbiolo
Production zone and characteristics
The grapes used for this wine come from the hills around Alba, in both the Langhe and Roero areas. This type of native varieties blend is characteristic of the area. Yields per hectare are around 60 hectolitres and the training system is Guyot.
Winemaking
Barbera and Nebbiolo are both harvested lately. Then, grapes are destemmed and pressed gently. The fermentation takes place separately in controlled temperature steel tanks. The wine spends around 15 days on the skins.
Once the first fermentation is finished, the temperature of the new wines is made use of for the spontaneous onset of the malolactic fermentation. The lightly over ripening produces a superior residual of sugar.
Ageing
The wine made from Barbera and Nebbiolo needs around 2 years to reach aroma-flavour balance. For this wine the percentage of Barbera is aged in wood, while the rest remains in steel or concrete tanks until final blending.
The Barbera ages for one year in Slavonian big barrel before to be blended to Nebbiolo.
The wine can be kept for eight years, depending on vintage.
Tasting characteristics
It is deep ruby red in colour with purple highlights. It has a black and red fruit and spice packed nose. It is warm, velvety and full bodied in the mouth, thanks also to ageing which gives it a mildly woody note. Its soft tannins and good acidity levels create a balance between the varietal characteristics typical of the grapes used to make it.
Food pairings
Pasta dishes with full flavoured sauces, red, boiled and stewed meats, matured cheeses.
Serving temperature
18-20 °C
Alcohol by volume
13 - 14 % vol.