Luigi Einaudi
Few wineries can state that their founder also served as a head of state. Poderi Luigi Einaudi, located in Doriani in the province of Cuneo, Piemonte, was founded in 1897 by a 23-year-old professor of economics who later became the first elected President of the Italian Republic in 1948. The estate is still run by the fourth generation of the family and remains one of the most fascinating wineries in the Langhe region, encompassing two distinct wine worlds: the ‘Colli del Dogliani’ in Dogliani and the ‘Nebbiolo region’ in Barolo.
History
In 1897, Luigi Einaudi purchased the San Giacomo estate and its vineyards in Dogliani. At the time, most of the region’s wine was consumed locally and was not even bottled or labelled; yet he swiftly set about bottling Dolcetto and selling it beyond the local market.
It is worth noting that, according to legend, Ennaudi never missed a single harvest, even during the years when he resided in Rome whilst serving as Governor of the Bank of Italy, a Minister, and even President of the Republic. The estate was taken over by his son Roberto after his death, and subsequently by Roberto’s daughter Paola. Paola moved back to Doriani from Milan in the late 1980s, revitalising the estate through significant investment and a particular focus on quality. Today, the estate is managed by Paola’s son, Matteo Sardagna Einaudi.
Vineyards
Poderi has 13 estates divided across the Langhe region, covering a total area of 150 hectares: approximately 70 hectares are vineyards. These vineyards are located across the region, starting in the south at Doria, passing through the Barolo sub-zones of Tolo, Cannubi, Busia and Monviero, and going eastwards to Nevi and Castiglione Falletto. Doria is the historic heart of the estate, where Dolcetto accounts for the majority of production. Although the Barolo vineyards are smaller in size, they hold several of the appellation’s most sought-after Grand Cru vineyards.
Terroir
The estate’s two main areas are located on different soils. The soils around Doriani are mostly marl, limestone and clay, giving the Dolcetto wines their characteristic full-bodied texture and slightly bitter finish. In Canubi, maybe even Barolo’s most famous single vineyard, the soil consists of the grey-white marl of Sant’Agata, consisting of around 55% clay, 30% sand and 15% limestone: the vineyards are located at an altitude of around 220 metres.
The sandy composition of Canubi lends these wines a relatively approachable character and light bouquet, setting them apart from the more austere Barolo styles produced in other parts of the region, where the vines are planted in heavier clay soils. The Terlo vineyard is the source of Costa Grimaldi’s single-varietal Barolo, situated on calcareous marl soil at an altitude of approximately 300 metres.
Grape Varieties
Dolcetto is the grape variety that brought fame to this estate and remains the cornerstone of winemaking in the Dolcetto region. Nebbiolo is used to produce all Barolo and Barbaresco wines, as well as Langhe Nebbiolo. Barbera and Arneis add character to the red and white wine ranges respectively, whilst the estate also produces Verduno Pelaverda from the Monviller vineyard and Moscato d’Asti.
Winemaking
Winemaking methods vary depending on the wine. Dolcetto Dolian is fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel and concrete tanks and is released as a young wine, suitable for early drinking. The Barolo production process is more rigorous: fermentation takes place in stainless steel and concrete tanks, followed by a maceration period of 22 to 25 days to extract colour, tannins and body structure. The wine is then aged in oak barrels, with the choice between small barrels (barriques) or large barrels depending on the specific wine and the vintage.
Wines
The product range is extensive yet clearly defined. At the everyday drinking level, the ‘Dolcetto Superiore DOCG’, produced from grapes grown in the 23-hectare vineyard planted in 1941, accounts for approximately half of the estate’s annual production and is one of the benchmark wines of the region.
At the pinnacle of the range are five single-vineyard Barolo wines: Cannubi, Tolo, Buscia, Monvigliero and Vilerò, which fully embody the essence of Barolo’s premier vineyards.
The estate also produces Barbaresco and Barolo Cinatto from Neiva-Bric-Mica, as well as a range of Langhe DOC wines, including a red wine named simply after the founder.
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