Tasting Notes & Wine Reviews
Brief history
To write a good story you need a worthy stage and interesting characters. Our story is one of a family that has dedicated their lives to vine and wine.
Like in any good story, there is a castle, here the castle of Grinzane Cavour, a tiny village in the high Langhe hills.
Every day vineyards, colours and lights enchant with breathtaking views. The Scavino family has lived and worked on this land for generations.
The history of La Carlina however began much later, in 2014, when young brother and sister Camilla and Francesco, aware of the great potential of their area, decided to set up on their own and make their mark, crushing their grapes and making their own wine.
La Carlina lives from the combination of a generations-old romance, rigor in the vineyards as in everyday life, and freshness, knowledge, and courage of a new generation that gets out there to continue the family farming tradition. They aim at turning it into a dynamic and specialized reality based on organic and sustainable vineyards cultivation.
Location
The winery is in Italy, in Piedmont, specifically in the Langhe and Monferrato areas.
Nowadays the wine production includes a Barbera d’Asti, a Barbera d’Asti Superiore, Serafina 2016, a Favorita-based white wine, and Volubile, a Nebbiolo Langhe that is to be released in September 2017.
Langhe and Monferrato gentle hills make Camilla and Francesco feel that they have been gifted with living and working in paradise.
Up in the hills at a height of three hundred metres, surrounded by nothing but nature, every corner of this place offers breathtaking views. All we have to do is look up to keep contact with the essential element that inspires, teacheshumility and to never lose sight of our origins: the land.
Climate
The soil variety and the numerous microclimates combined with the attention to tradition and the balance with innovation and dynamism, allow to produce wines of great character and personality.
Soil Types
Clayey-calcareous, calcareous-siliceous
Vineyards and Grape Varieties
Overall vineyard surface area: 25 ha (61 acres)
Surface Area per Grape variety:
- 16 ha (39 acres) of Nebbiolo including 10 ha (25 acres) Nebbiolo for Barolo wine
- 6 ha (16 acres) Barbera
- 1 ha (2.5 acres) Favorita
- 2 ha (5 acres) Altalanga
In Langhe area are the Nebbiolo, Barolo, and a small part of Altalanga. In Monferrato are are the Barbera and Favorita.
Winery
We are still finishing to built and restructuring it but it is visitable.
There is no better way to learn about the history and traditions of our area and feel the warmth and pride of the people who live here. The doors of Cantina La Carlina are always open thanks to B&B A Casa di Maria where you can live your Langhe experience in an accommodating and family atmosphere for home lovers (see www.acasadimaria.eu).
Viticulture
The wines that we produce are the fruits of our love and our fresh, organic and clean vision.
Our vineyards are our precious patrimony and consequently the respect and the protection of the environment are our “no-go areas”.
We decided for a simple and natural agriculture, respectful of our surroundings and the environment. In 2015 we formalized our efforts pursuing the organic certification that we will obtain in 2018.
Our vineyards are cultivated without the use of any chemicals or pesticides (unless it’s strictly necessary) or any other substance that might interfere with the cycle of the vine or of the grapes growing, we only use copper and copper sulphate, and we fertilize with organic cow manure.
We believe in innovation but not when it means manipulation or stretch. We try to achieve the perfect balance of perfume and aromas that goes along with the respect of the grape variety and vineyard typical characteristics.
People
The runners of this adventure are Camilla and Francesco, two young and enthusiastic wine producers, firmly determined to promote the excellence of their territory with a fresh and innovative vision, that looks with respect to the past but dreams to pursue unconventional ways.
We describe ourselves as two wine producers that feed on the ground and look to the future. Feet on the ground is the love for the land and the deep knowledge of what it can produce.
The look ahead is what pushes us every day to bring our wine across the world, to make the big present of this little patch of Italian land known and appreciated.
Wines
Overall production volume: 40,000 bottles, with an increasing production.
BARBERA D’ASTI DOCG
Grape variety: Barbera
Soil: clayey-calcareous, calcareous-siliceous
Exsposure and altitude: east/south-east – 320 m
Max crop./hectare: 80 ql/hectars
Harvest period: first week of September
Picking up: 100% by hand in small cases
Growing location: Bionzo (Costigliole d’asti)
Food Pairings: flavorsome soups, white meat and fowl in aromatic stews, grilled meat, stockfish and salt cod, aromatic fish soups, fresh- medium mature cheeses but also chocolate and dry fruits, small pastry.
More Info at La Carlina Barbera d’Asti DOCG
BARBERA D’ASTI SUPERIORE DOCG
Grape variety: Barbera
Soil: clayey-calcareous, calcareous-siliceous.
Exsposure and altitude: east/south-east – 320 m
Max crop./hectare: 70ql/hectars
Harvest period: second week of September
Picking up: 100% by hand in small cases
Growing location: Bionzo (Costiglioled’asti)
Food Pairings: flavorsome soups, red meat and fowl in aromatic stews, grilled red meat, stockfish and salt cod, mature cheeses but also chocolate and dry fruits, small pastry. But also perfect as meditation wine.
More Info at La Carlina Barbera d’Asti Superiore DOCG
SERAFINA
Grape variety: Favorita
Soil: clayey-calcareous
Exsposure and altitude: south-east – 250 m
Max crop./hectare: 85 ql/hectars
Harvest period: second/third week of September
Picking up: 100% by hand in small cases
Growing location: Bionzo (Costiglioled’asti)
Food Pairings: To be enjoyed when young, it goes perfectly with delicate appetizers, fish, vegetables and white meat.
VOLUBILE LANGHE NEBBIOLO
Grape variety: Nebbiolo
Soil: clayey-calcareous
Exsposure and altitude: east – 275 m
Max crop./hectare: 90 ql/hectars
Harvest period: second week of October
Picking up: 100% by hand in small cases
Growing location: Grinzane Cavour
Food Pairings: ideal with risotto and polenta dishes, grilled meat, medium and aged cheeses, small pastry and chocolate.
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Learn more on the winery website LaCarlina.com
The information above was provided by Azienda Agricola La Carlina exclusively for Social Vignerons.