Amalia Farmhouse in Langa is a family business established for some time in the Monforte d'Alba area, in the Langa del Barolo Docg in Piedmont.
Owner is the Boffa family. Maria Angela and Gigi, the founders, were looking for a good retreat and, having found the right place and situation, they took over a historic farmhouse surrounded by about three hectares of vineyards planted with Barbera and Dolcetto. But evidently it was too early to think about sweet idleness, especially for two people used to work and hyperactive. From there it took a moment to observe the vineyard with different eyes and think of a more structured project. The arrival of Paolo, the son, to lend a full-time hand has come full circle: Paolo was entrusted with the management of the vineyards and the cellar, carried out with consultants, until he stabilized with the current Giancarlo Romana, agronomist , and Piero Ballario, winemaker. Gigi, putting his experience into practice, has created a modern and functional cellar, well camouflaged in the adjacent hill, and enriched by an artistic itinerary consisting of the permanent exhibition of contemporary art authors such as the Turinese Gilda Brosio and Renato Brazzani. A choice dictated by personal passion and applicable thanks to the rationalization of the architectural intervention dedicated to the wine space. A way to combine beauty with functionality throughout the entire production chain. The pre-existing farmhouse has been transformed in turn in a elegant Relais with swimming pool which Mrs. Maria Angela takes care of. Simultaneously with the creation of the right structures, the family dedicated itself to expanding the wine estates, focusing above all on the acquisition of Nebbiolo vineyards from Barolo in particularly suitable areas of the municipality. Because what moved and directed the entire operation was the sacred fire of wine production. An unforgiving passion, especially when you have the opportunity, the luck and the awareness of being in a unique area in the world, where wines of extraordinary quality are produced.
And so, one step after another, guided by entrepreneurial skills guided by a lot of passion, Amalia Cascina in Langa cultivates Nebbiolo in vineyards historically suited for the production of exceptional Barolo, such as the Le Coste vineyard for their historic Barolo da cru , the Fantini vineyard, in the Bussia area, from which starting from the 2013 harvest they offer a second cru, but only in the best vintages.
In support of the traditional production of Barolo, Langhe Nebbiolo, Barbera d'Alba and Dolcetto d'Alba, the Boffa family has been fascinated by a pre-existing vine in the Monforte d'Alba area but still very rare, the reddish white. It was planted in the Salicetti vineyard adjacent to the Fantini vineyard in Bussia, and a part in the Sant'Anna vineyard that surrounds the Cascina.
Even a sentimental reference, the one with the rossese bianco, which arises from its presumed or real link, as yet we do not know well, with the Ligurian rossese, because Liguria is the country of origin of the Boffa, The few things that are known about rossese bianco are due to the studies of Dr. Anna Schneider, an authority in the field of national and international ampelography, researcher at the CNR, Institute for the Sustainable Protection of Plants and in charge of the Ampelography course at the Department of Agricultural, Forestry and Food Sciences of the University of Turin.
"One of the ways we have available to connect the vines grown today with those of the past, assisted by other historical, scientific and DNA analysis methods, is to examine the images available in the ampelographic literature", says Anna Schneider*. “Those who carry out genetic and ampelographic research must collaborate with a historian, comparing different sources, to uniquely identify the characteristics of the vines in question. Starting from the eighteenth century, and more frequently from the mid-nineteenth century onwards, many tried their hand at painting bunches and leaves, arriving at reproducing forms that closely adhered to reality which were, and still are, indispensable for identifying the ampelographic origins of the vines”, continues Schneider.
In particular, as regards the Rossese grape, scholars have at their disposal the image reproduced on the Italian Pomona or fruit trees by Giorgio Gallesio, botanist (and much more) who started a fundamental cataloging of fruit trees between 1817 and 1839, making use of the pictorial contribution of renowned artists of the time. By comparing the Rossese del Gallesio grape with the morphology of the numerous rossese bianco known today, Dr. Schneider and her collaborators came to the conclusion that the rossese vine described by Gallesio has nothing to do with the rossese from the Alta Langa (this is how Schneider defines it) but we recognize a morphology similar to the rossese bianco from the area of San Biagio della Cima, a borderland of the province of Imperia, in Liguria.
From the vinification of the grapes of the Salicetti vineyard (characterized by a high sandy percentage) and of the Sant'Anna vineyard (clay-limestone soil), both at 450 meters above sea level and facing north-west, comes a wine that presents itself with a decisive fruity intensity, refined by perceptions of aromatic herbs (thyme and marjoram) and hints of citrus, with excellent freshness and good structure on the palate. The sensory characteristics of this wine go well with first courses of pasta, even fresh, with white meat ragout, not only white but also game. Also excellent in summer on a traditional Piedmontese dish such as rabbit galantine. And if one day you should become such friends of Mrs. Maria Angela as to be invited to taste this dish at her home, together with others that she prepares with the mastery of a true cook, you would do well to cancel all other commitments and accept the invitation without hesitation .
Amalia Farmhouse in Langa
Location S. Anna, 85 – 12065 Monforte d'Alba (Cn)
Phone +39.0173.789013 - Fax +39.0173.789950
Email: info@cascinaamalia.it
