Luigi Oddero

In the village of Santa Maria in La Morra, in the heart of the Langhe hills in Piemonte, lies the small winery Figli Luigi Oddero, which strictly adheres to its principles: local grape varieties, traditional winemaking methods, and vineyards that have been in the family since the 19th century. The winery is named after Luigi Oddero, an oenologist and, by his own admission, a lover of his land, whose story was told by the writer Mario Soldati in his book Vino al Vino, published in 1975.

History

The family’s roots in the Langhe go back to Luigi’s grandparents, who were winemakers and wine merchants. Luigi himself built the modern winery, combining technical curiosity with a strong attachment to tradition. He and his brother Giacomo managed the combined Oddero estate until its amicable split in 2006, when Luigi retained the historic cellars of the winery in La Morra along with a collection of vineyard plots. Luigi passed away in 2009.

The estate is currently run by his wife Lena and their children Maria and Giovanni, named after the great-grandfathers who started the family’s history. The team of winemakers in the cellar is led by Stefano Boffa and Gregorio Tura, with Dante Scaglione, the legendary former winemaker at Bruno Giacosa, acting as a consultant.

Vineyards

The estate covers 32 hectares, 18 of which are planted with Nebbiolo. There are three key Barolo cru sites. The Rive di Santa Maria di La Morra forms a natural amphitheatre with a south-eastern aspect at an altitude of around 250 metres, where the Specola tower, the estate’s symbol, is located. Rocche dei Rivera is situated in the Scarrone cru in Castiglione Falletto, with a south-eastern exposure at an altitude of around 300 metres. Vigna Rionda in Serralunga d’Alba, considered by many to be one of the finest crus in the entire region, faces south at an altitude of around 350 metres. As for Barbaresco, Nebbiolo is grown in Treiso, also at an altitude of around 350 metres with a south-eastern exposure. Dolcetto, Barbera and Freisa are planted in La Morra and Serralunga d’Alba, whilst Moscato grows in Cascina Fiori in Trezzo Tinella.

Terroir

The three Barolo cru villages encompass three distinct areas, each with its own character. The soils of La Morra, based on Helvetian marl from the Tortonian period, generally produce wines that can be drunk earlier and are more floral. Castiglione Falletto is situated on Helvetian and Tortonian limestones and clays, producing structured, dense Barolos. Serralunga d’Alba, with its dense, mineral-rich Helvetian soils, is a zone for wines made for the longest ageing.

Grape varieties

The focus is exclusively on indigenous Piemontese varieties: Nebbiolo for Barolo and Barbaresco, as well as Barbera, Dolcetto and Freisa. Langhe Bianco is also produced, and Moscato d’Asti is made from Moscato. International varieties are not grown in accordance with Luigi’s philosophy, which prioritises the Langhe.

Winemaking

The approach is traditional. Fermentation takes place in concrete vats, and ageing in large French oak barrels. Small barriques are not used. No herbicides or desiccants are used in the vineyards, and where possible, organic methods are employed, such as pheromone diffusers to control the grapevine moth. The estate describes its approach as ‘sustainable viticulture’, aimed at sustainable farming with minimal environmental impact.

Wines

The range includes three single-vineyard Barolos: Specola from the Rive cru in La Morra, Rocche Rivera from Scarrone in Castiglione Falletto, and the flagship Vigna Rionda from Serralunga d’Alba.

The range also includes Barbaresco, Barbaresco Rombone, Nebbiolo from the Langhe, Barbera d’Alba, Dolcetto d’Alba, Freisa from the Langhe, Langhe Bianco and Moscato d’Asti.