Az. Agr. Marziano Abbona is a winery located in the town of Dogliani in the heart of the Langhe area of Northern Italy’s Piedmont region.
Covering 52 hectares of vineyards (138 acres) in Northen Italy around the townships of Dogliani, Monforte d’Alba and Novello, the estate gives birth to a variety of red world-class wines whose appellations include Barbera d’Alba, Nebbiolo d’Alba, Dogliani, Langhe Barbera and more importantly a series of single vineyard Barolo wines.
Founded by a vine grower named Papà Celso who planted vineyards in the best sites around the town of Dogliani during the first half of the 20th Century, the Azienda started making its own bottlings under the direction of his son Marziano Abbona in the 1960s and 1970s.
Today, the winery, still run by Marziano with his daughter and grand-daughter Mara and Chiara, has gained the world’s recognition for the quality of their wines and the sublimated expression of their terroir.
Read on as we review Azienda Abbona’s wines and they tell us the story of their land, their family, their passion.
Reviews & Tasting Notes of Marziano Abbona Wines
Brief history
The history of the Abbona winery is full of hard work and challenges, but also loyalty to tradition and passion for experimentation. At the heart of the story are the hills of the Langhe and hard work in the vineyards, but also the territory of Dogliani and one of its most extraordinary products: Dolcetto.
Papà Celso
Celso Abbona was among the first of his generation to believe in the potential of the Dogliani village and its territory, and to leverage the grape variety that its hills are able to fully express: dolcetto.
Celso planted the legendary vineyard Bricco Doriolo, in Santa Lucia di Dogliani. Today this vineyard represents one of the most prestigious crus of Dogliani
The second generation
Upon the death of Celso in 1964, the winery passed on to Marziano who transformed the family business – a traditional farm – into a winery.
Not only Dolcetto and the Barolo challenge
In the beginning of the 1980s, Marziano purchased land in the hilly area of Monforte d’Alba and Novello, choosing the best plots in the best positions: Ravera and Cerviano in Novello; Pressenda, Bricco Barone and Rinaldi in Monforte d’Alba.
Return to San Luigi
By the end of the 1990s, the time was ripe to construct a new winery to mark the history of the Abbona family. They restructured and expanded Cascina Valle dell’Olmo in Borgata San Luigi, inaugurated in 2006. The ambitious project is a large, interred winery that minimizes environmental impact, its ancient foundations a dialogue between past and present.
The third generation
The work of the new generations –represented by Mara and Chiara– pushed the winery onto new energy and resources in hospitality and visits to the winery.
Location
Azienda Abbona is based in Piedmont, on the Langhe hills. They produce Dogliani, Barbera and Nebbiolo d’Alba, Barolo and a Langhe Bianco from Viognier grapes.
It’s a unique position on the San Luigi hill, which connects Dogliani to Monforte d’Alba, where there’s an outstanding view on the Alp mountains.
Climate
Dogliani has the advantage to get a constant breeze coming from the mountains and crossing with the seaside winds; this creates a perfect condition for an healthy ripening of Dolcetto grapes, very sensible to humidity.
Langhe in general is characterized by cold winters, with reasonable amount of snow and warm summers, during which there are significant thermal variation between night and day temperatures. This is important for the development of the aromatic expression of each grape variety.
Soil types
From calcareous-sandy to loam and clayey soil, combined with blue marl. They provide structure, finesse, complexity and minerality to the wines.
Vineyards & Grape Varieties
The vineyards of Abbona extend for a total surface area of 60 hectares over the best-positioned territories in Dogliani, Monforte d’Alba and Novello. 100%-owned by the winery, the vineyards are cultivated in the highest respect for the surrounding environment and for those who work in the vineyards.
Dolcetto 40%, Barbera 18%, Nebbiolo 30%, Favorita- Viognier- Arneis- Pinot noir – Chardonnay 12%
Following the French tradition of classifying vineyard blocks, the winery’s vineyards are divided by land quality according to factors such as microclimate, position, and geology.
Abbona only uses grapes from the best vineyards, located in the higher hills, to make their cru wines; the other grapes are used to make their more basic wines.
Winery
Built beginning in 2004 and inaugurated in 2006, the winery wants to be an ode to the hills of Dogliani. Located in the village of San Luigi in the center of a natural amphitheater of hills, at its back is a large, man-made pond, behind which the Alpine mountains are outlined along the horizon on clear days.
The winery rises up on the foundations of an ancient farmhouse once called “Cascina Valle dell’Olmo” in honor of the majestic elm (olmo) tree that grew in the barnyard.
Struck with disease, the elm was cut, but it lives on in the stairs that lead to the ancient cellars of the farmhouse. This winery aims at representing a dialogue between past and present, perfectly integrating the landscape with its ancient foundations.
The old, brick-vaulted ceilings arch over the tasting room, while the modern winemaking and aging rooms are completely interred. Its emerging sections are covered in grass and finished Langhe stone. The modern area of the building also has a tasting room, its floor constructed in wood from old wine barrels and lit by large windows that open up to the magnificent countryside.
Under the barrel room, the building site uncovered an acquifer. Preserved, it acts as a natural cooler, maintaining a constant, underground temperature.
Viticulture
Abbona prides himself with some very old vineyards, now almost 70 years old and the quality we can get from them. The care they dedicate to all their vineyards involves a lot of manual work of selection. Viticulturalists here haven’t used any pesticides or herbicides for decades and they ensure a constant control on the individual needs of the vines.
Harvesting is 100% made by hand with specialized pickers, taking care of the final selection of the best grapes.
People
- Marziano Abbona: owner, winemaker, founder and the heart of the winery
- Marziano works together with Beppe Caviola as a consultant and Gianluca, the cellar master
- Mara and Chiara Abbona: Marziano’s daughter’s- respectively administrator and sales manager
Marziano Abbona Wines
Average yearly production: 370,000 bottles
– Dogliani San Luigi, Langhe Barbera Casaret and Langhe Nebbiolo Garombello are representing the most everyday drinking wines among the entire production: below 20€ retail price (<$22 USD).
– Dogliani Papà Celso, Barbera d’Alba Rinaldi and Nebbiolo d’Alba Bricco Barone are the result of selected and old vineyards: they retail up to €25 (<$28 USD).
– Barolo Pressenda, Ravera and Cerviano are Abbona’s signature wines from single and prestigious Barolo vineyards: €35-45 (between $38 and $50 USD).
Cellar door information
The winery is open for visits every day by appointment. Call +39 0173.721317 or write to abbona (at) abbona.com to book.
The visits are also available in English and French, and includes a wine tasting and the possibility to purchase wines direct. Tour costs from € 15,00 to € 25,00 per person.
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