Lepre
⏳ Drinking Window
2018 - 2035
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Piedmontese appetizers like vitello tonnato, fresh egg pastas with simple meat ragù, and roasted white meats or medium-aged cheeses.
✨ Technical Specifications
Fontanafredda, established in 1858 by Vittorio Emanuele II, the first King of Italy, holds a legendary status in Piedmont's winemaking history. The 'Lepre' (meaning hare) pays homage to the wild hares that traditionally darted through the estate's historic vineyards in the Langhe hills. Crafted from the Dolcetto grape, this classic red represents the historical daily drinking wine of the local farmers. It is vinified almost entirely in stainless steel to preserve its vibrant primary fruit characteristics. The terroir of clay and calcareous marl imparts a subtle mineral undertone to the wine's signature profile of dark cherries, red plums, and a characteristic bitter almond finish.
🍾 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