2024 Brandini Brandini La Morra Le Coccinelle Bianco

The Brandini winery is located in Piemonte in the town of La Morra, about 30 kilometers from Alba. The Italian region is known for its truffles and the great Barolo wines. The company is led by two very energetic ladies: Serena and Giovanna Bagnasco.

Agricola Brandini is fully committed to organic viticulture. The aim of the owners of these wine producers is to want to leave the earth better than they found it. They respect the product, the environment, the employees and the customers. The daily management is in the hands of the Bagnasco sisters. There is no lack of ambition: the cellar is led by Bruno Giacosa's former winemaker. He is assisted by Andrea Farinetti, known from the Borgogno winery, who considers Brandini his prestige project. The way of making wine is extremely traditional (i.e. no barriques, no artificial interventions). They work with the best, most modern and efficient equipment and only native yeasts are used. Aging takes place in large barrels of 20 to 60 hectoliters. Delicious Barolo and Nebbiolo wines are made here.

Agricola Brandini has 18 hectares of vineyards located between La Morra, Serralunga d'Alba and Monforte d'Alba. Serena and Giovanna make a wide range of high quality wines, including Barolo, Dolcetto d'Alba, Barbera d'Alba, Nebbiolo, Arneis and sparkling wines including Moscato d'Asti.

The winery has its own restaurant where delicious regional dishes are served. Located in the truffle region of Italy, these are of course regularly served with the famous truffles. In the Agriturismo you can spend the night in one of the beautiful rooms and from the swimming pool in the garden you can enjoy a magnificent view over the Langhe valley. An ideal travel destination for lovers of good wine and good Italian food.

Langhe is perhaps the most diverse and accessible part of Piedmont. The region (classified as DOC) extends south of the town of Alba and benefits from rolling hills and the clay/marl soil south and east of the Tanaro River. Langhe is a well kept secret of Piemonte.

A uniquely varied landscape that has not yet been discovered by the general public. Gastronomers have already found their way to Langhe, because of the famous Piemontese truffle and their wonderful wine. In addition to the familiar Nebbiolo and Dolcetto grapes, you will also find Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon here. Langhe wines of the DOC class are comparable to the DOCG Barolo, but too young to receive that designation. For example, most DOC Langhe only mature for 12 months and not 38, which is common at Barolo. But that also has advantages: you can drink this wine younger, and taste what the youthful Nebbiolo tastes like. The Langhe area is just where warmer and lower, so that the Nebbiolos from this region are a bit more fruity and especially more accessible. The Langhe Nebbiolo is also irreverently called the Barolo for beginners, but this is mainly due to the 'label drinkers' because a Nebbiolo from this region has a great price / quality and if we take this aspect into account, we can certainly advise you correctly try the wines from the appellation in Piemonte. More fruit, something warmer, more accessible could be a kind of summary.

Piemonte, meaning "at the foot of the mountain," is a vast region in northern Italy with Turin as its capital, nestled between various mountain ranges. Bordered by the Alps to the north and west and the Ligurian Apennines to the south, Piemonte is shielded from the maritime climate, favoring a continental climate.

More information about Piemonte

The viticultural history of Piemonte dates back to antiquity, with Greeks introducing winemaking through Ligurian ports. Over the centuries, Piemonte has evolved into one of Italy's premier wine regions, boasting an impressive seven DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) classifications and 37 DOCs (Denominazione di Origine Controllata), collectively responsible for 70% of the region's total wine production.

Encompassing 58,000 hectares, Piemonte cultivates a variety of grape varieties, primarily indigenous. The renowned Nebbiolo grape takes center stage, contributing to the iconic Barolo, Barbaresco, Gattinara, and Ghemme, all awarded DOCG status. Additionally, Barbera, gaining popularity, and Dolcetto, praised for its soft and round character, form the foundation for numerous red wines.

Internationally, Piemonte is recognized for Asti Spumante, an exquisite aromatic sparkling wine crafted from the Muscat grape near the city of Asti. This delightful bubbly is a traditional accompaniment to panettone and other sweets.

The key wine zones lie south of the Po River, notably in the provinces of Cuneo (Langa and Roero) and Asti and Alessandria, with Alba as the commercial hub. Barolo, produced around the village of the same name, is dubbed the "king of wines, wine of kings," reflecting its association with ancient royal houses. Barolo, known for its robust character, may remain tannic even after extended aging but often transforms into a sensation of flavor and aroma.

Similarly, Barbaresco, from the nearby village, also produces robust red wines from Nebbiolo. Advances in winemaking techniques and a new generation of vintners have made Barolo and Barbaresco more accessible and balanced while preserving the Nebbiolo grape's original character.

Gattinara and Ghemme, from the northern provinces, share the need for aging and pair excellently with various meat and game dishes.

Around Alba, the DOC Dolcetto d'Alba produces soft wines from the Dolcetto grape, gaining popularity in Italy and beyond. Barbera wines from Alba and Asti, under DOC Barbera d'Alba and Barbera d'Asti, respectively, are highly regarded, with Barbera emerging as a worthy rival to Nebbiolo after some years of aging.

The Bracchetto d'Acqui, a red sparkling wine, enjoys DOCG status and is produced east of Asti, consumed predominantly in the region as a dessert wine.

The Gavi or Cortese di Gavi, the final DOCG, is a delicate dry white wine made from the Cortese grape in the province of Alessandria, ideal for pairing with various shellfish and seafood.

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The Arneis is a white grape variety that is often planted near Alba (Italy), and was saved not so long ago by a group of Barolo producers, otherwise it would have become extinct. The Arneis grape is often used for the Roero Arneis and is a white wine. Arneis means "little difficult one", a grape that was difficult to grow in the vineyard. Roero is the name of the Roeri hills in Piedmont, the place where the grape is planted. It is mainly used in Italy for the Roero Arneis or to mix with other grapes, which can use the fruitiness and softness of the Arneis.

What does a wine from the Arneis grape taste like?

Arneis produces delicious juicy wines with white fruit notes in aroma and taste. A defiant bitterness in the taste is the charm of this wine. We have to think of green apple, unripe pear and almond and in rich years a hint of melon. The Arneis wines are charming, fresh and very drinkable.

Viognier is a white grape variety that is mainly planted in the French Rhône Valley. It is the only permitted grape on the steep and famous vineyards of Condrieu. Wine made from Viognier is characterized by its bouquet of soft fruit and flowers, low acidity, strength and it is almost always dry. For a long time it was thought that the Viognier was brought from Dalmatia to Condrieu by the Roman Emperor Probus. Scientific research has recently shown that the origin of viognier must be sought locally.

Viognier is a versatile grape from which different wine styles can be made. It can be fermented and aged in stainless steel for a fresh and refreshing style, or aged in oak barrels to develop more complexity and creaminess. It goes well with many foods due to its aromatic intensity and balanced acidity. It pairs with dishes with rich and creamy sauces, as well as seafood, poultry and spicy dishes such as Thai or Indian.

Viognier, almost exclusively planted in Condrieu, was on the verge of disappearing, but fortunately things turned around in the 1980s. From the second half of the 1980s onwards, appreciation for this grape grew, it became more and more successful and could begin its rise within Condrieu and the peripheral areas. For Condrieu the average production is set at 37 hl/ha. Higher causes a rapid reduction in quality. Viognier is a very aromatic grape, but as a wine grower you must be able to master it very well. A good Condrieu should be picked ripe enough to obtain the typical aroma of apricot and exotic fruit. However, if you pick too ripe, you will lose violets and minerality (due to the granite soil). High quality requires the right interplay between good ripeness and still good freshness. Only then does the viognier from Condrieu reveal its wonderful aromas.