Riserva
⏳ Drinking Window
2015 - 2035
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Slow-cooked beef braised in red wine (Brasato), roasted wild game, or aged cheeses such as Castelmagno.
✨ Technical Specifications
Fontanafredda's historic estate in Serralunga d'Alba, Piedmont, carries a legacy deeply intertwined with Italian royalty. Founded in 1858 by King Victor Emmanuel II as a gift to his beloved mistress and later wife, Rosa Vercellana (known affectionately as Bela Rosin), the estate has long been a benchmark for traditional Piedmontese winemaking. Their Red Riserva, most famously represented by their classic Barolo Riserva, is crafted from 100% Nebbiolo grapes grown in the clay-marl soils of the Langhe hills. Following strict traditional methods, the wine undergoes extended maceration and is aged for several years in large Slavonian oak casks. This patient aging coaxes out a complex tapestry of dried rose petals, leather, tar, and dark forest fruits, framed by firm, noble tannins that reflect the majestic terroir of Serralunga.
🍾 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