Historically, Lessona may have been known as the greatest region in Italy. Eventually, the area became overlooked. It remains a place in the Alta Piemonte consistently producing age worthy wines with aromatic intensity and elegance.
Grapes for this wine are grown in the Ormeggio, Castagnola and Belvedere vineyards in Lessona in the Orolungo region. Altitudes range from 290-350 metres above sea level. Soils in Lessona are unique: they originated from a super-volcano explosion 280 million years ago, and were then covered by the sea before resurfacing with the birth of the Alps. This left marine sands from the Pliocene period (known as “Ori di Lessona”) on an igneous rock subsoil, mixed with more recent glacial sediment. The soil is rich in minerals and trace elements including iron, manganese, aluminium and zinc. The high acidity (pH 4.5-5.5) of the soil makes minerals more available to the vines.
'Lessona' is sourced from the two vineyards some consider to be the Grand Crus of the region. This wine ages for 32 months in barrels of various sizes and then another year in the bottle. Deep ruby in colour with a beautiful nose typical of the area, this wine showcases aromas of red cherries, dried rose petals, rosemary and pine needles. On the palate, the wine has fresh acidity, silky tannins and succulent red and black fruit flavours. The finish is long with a touch of minerality.
