This wine is magical. The expressive aromatics unique to the Ruchè grape reach full potential from a small, organically farmed vineyard. Valentina and her partner Giancarlo pursue a passion and a dream to create wines of purity and expression. We love supporting these small projects started out of a love and passion for the land. In a similar spirit, that is why Uva Imports was founded: To share these unique and singular wines with our friends and neighbors in America.

With the Ruchè from La Cascinetta, we have something truly special to share with you. On the nose expect herbal and floral elements like rose, lavender, iris, and mint, as well as spice components like coriander, cinnamon, nutmeg, and black pep-per. The fruit captivates with juicy red fruits, with wild raspber-ries dominating the mix. The palate and finish are round, supple, and relaxed. A great wine for a barbeque!

VARIETAL NOTES

Many people believe it was brought to the Piedmont from Bur-gundy by monks in the 1700s. More likely, it is a native grape indigenous to the hills around Asti. Being an aromatic variety like Brachetto, it was often made into a sweet wine until a wine-making priest, Don Giacomo Cauda, really captured the poten-tial for Ruchè as a serious age-worthy wine. It was Cauda, who moved to this area in 1964, who committed himself to perfect-ing an age-worthy dry red wine. Many people attribute Cuada from keeping the Ruchè grape from extinction and promoting the grape in this area until it received DOC status in 1987.

FOOD PAIRING

This wine pairs well with spices found in Indian cuisine, Asian dishes prepared with ginger, aged cheeses, stuffed pastas with pork or wild game, and foods cooked out on the grill.

Ruchè di Castagnole Montferrato DOCG

WinemakingWinemaker:

Valentina BortolinSpontaneous fermentation with native yeast, aged 6 months in steel before bottling, minimal use of sulfites.

Variety100% Ruche

Personally selected, hand-harvested winesfrom the best family vineyards.

Italy > Piedmont

TerroirCalcareous clay soils with volcanic elements and southeast exposure.

Production 500 cases

With the help of her parents, Valentina established the family-owned winery in 2008 from an aban-

doned vineyard. With a total of 7 hectares (17 acres) of property and less than 4 acres planted to the Ruchè grape, the winery is named after the old cottage on the property known as ‘La Cas-cinetta’. Valentina and her partner, Giancarlo, personally see to every stage of production from the organically farmed vineyards to vinification and bottling.

In the hills of Castagnole Monferrato, just outside the town of Asti, the Ruchè grape receives noble DOCG status. From cal-careous-tuffaceous soils, this unique and expressive grape is one of the most exciting varieties making a comeback in Piedmont region today.

Ruchè is an aromatic red variety more complex than Lacrima or Brachetto and expresses strong and exotic aromas of rasp-berries, red flowers, and spice. Locally it was a wine reserved for special occasions, and thanks to the DOCG status granted in 2010, we are seeing a renaissance of complex, beautiful wines made with Ruchè.

Ruchè is a rare, indigenous grape found in the hills outside the town of Asti in the Piedmont region. The DOC was established in 1987 and was later granted DOCG status in 2010. The DOCG zone includes only 7 communes with less than 100 hectares (240 acres) under vine in 2015. According to Ian D’Agata, in his book “Native Grapes of Italy,” “If there is one Italian grape that wine lovers really ought to know, it is Ruchè.”

Personally selected, hand-harvested winesfrom the best family vineyards.

Estate owned by: Valentina BortolinWinemaker: Valentina BortolinYear Founded:2008

Farming and Land: Organic farming of 7 hectares (17 acres) on calcareous and tuffaceous soils with southeast facing vineyards.

Production:Ruchè di Castagnole Montferrato: 500 cases

Italy > Piedmont