Barbaresco
⏳ Drinking Window
2025 - 2040
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Slow-cooked beef stews, fresh pasta with rich mushroom or truffle sauces, and aged cheeses such as Castelmagno or Parmigiano-Reggiano.
✨ Technical Specifications
The story of Fontanafredda is deeply intertwined with Italian history, founded in 1858 by Vittorio Emanuele II, the first King of United Italy, as a romantic gift for his beloved mistress, Rosa Vercellana. Located in the heart of the Langhe region in Piedmont, this historic estate is renowned for crafting exceptional red wines that showcase the nobility of the Nebbiolo grape. Cultivated in the clay-and-limestone-rich soils of Serralunga d'Alba, the estate's red wines are traditionally fermented and aged in large Slavonian oak casks. This classic approach preserves the grape's signature aromatic profile of dried roses, wild cherries, and earthy forest floor, framed by firm, structured tannins that reflect the authentic, regal terroir of Piedmont.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1858 by Vittorio Emanuele II, the first King of unified Italy, as an estate for his mistress Rosa Vercellana, Fontanafredda evolved into a foundational pillar of Piedmontese viticulture under their son, Count Emanuele Alberto di Mirafiore. The historic estate encompasses 120 hectares of certified organic vineyards centered in Serralunga d'Alba, an area distinguished by compact Helvetian limestone-marl soils and elevated south- and southwest-facing slopes between 200 and 400 meters. Acquired in 2008 by Oscar Farinetti and Luca Baffigo, the property underwent a viticultural renaissance, securing full organic certification with the 2018 harvest. In the nineteenth-century cellars, winemaking merges technical precision with classical Piedmontese restraint, relying on long macerations, stainless steel vinification for fragrant whites, and maturation in neutral Slavonian oak botti for its noble reds. Iconic bottlings include the cru Barolo Vigna La Rosa, Barolo del Comune di Serralunga d'Alba, Roero Arneis Pradalupo, and the pioneering Alta Langa Metodo Classico sparkling wines.
🍇 Grapes
100% Nebbiolo