Vigna Riserva Speciale
⏳ Drinking Window
2015 - 2035
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Slow-cooked beef braised in red wine, roasted wild game such as venison, and dishes featuring fresh truffles or aged cheeses.
✨ Technical Specifications
Fontanafredda, nestled in the heart of the Langhe region in Piedmont, carries a legacy deeply intertwined with Italian royalty. Founded in 1858 by Vittorio Emanuele II, the first King of Italy, as a gift for his beloved Rosa Vercellana, the estate is a cornerstone of Barolo history. The Vigna Riserva Speciale represents a historic chapter in Piedmontese winemaking, crafted from select single-vineyard plots of Nebbiolo in the clay-and-limestone-rich soils of Serralunga d'Alba. Historically, Riserva Speciale designated wines of exceptional quality that underwent extended wood aging in large Slavonian oak casks, resulting in a deeply structured, ethereal red wine. It showcases classic Nebbiolo characteristics: dried roses, tar, leather, and wild berries, underpinned by the formidable tannins and vibrant acidity typical of Serralunga's terroir.
🍾 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