Fontanafredda Srl

Cantina e Vini

In the heart of wine-growing Piedmont – in the hills of the Langhe – Fontanafredda was born: chronicles of the time relate that “by order of 17 June 1858″ an area of 138.82 “giornate piemontesi” (approx. 54 hectares) of the property of Roggeri Giacomo, son of Giovanni Battista in Serralunga d’Alba, was registered under the private estate of Vittorio Emanuele II King of Sardinia. The king, who had fallen hopelessly in love with Rosa Vercellana, also known as “La Bela Rusin”, a commoner and daughter of a drum major at his majesty’s service, gave the entire parcel of land to her, making her Countess of Mirafiori and Fontanfredda a year later. The history of Fontanafredda had begun, but it did not start operating as a business venture until twenty years later, in 1878, thanks to the farsightedness of Emanuele Guerrieri, Count of Mirafiore, son of the king and Bela Rusin, a noble entrepreneur who devoted his life to wine with a very modern approach. The estate’s noble pastis still evident at Fontanafredda today in the hunting lodge, hamlet, extensive cellars and vineyards, but it continues to innovate and experiment, perfecting what nature and history have handed down. This is why, in the Langhe, where the landscape is marked by the vines and wines that have linked generations down the years, Fontanafredda continues to stand out as a point of reference: the expression of a wine culture that stems from the land and the vineyard, and matures through the work and creativity of men

The vineyards of Fontanafredda lie on mostly evenly-contoured, rounded hillsides at altitudes between 200 and 400 metres, in the municipal areas of Serralunga d’Alba, Diano d’Alba, Barolo and Murisengo: in all, 85 hectares, planted mostly with the traditional Nebbiolo, Barbera, Dolcetto and Moscato grape varieties. The composition of the mainly calcareous soil can change within the space of a few dozen meters, sometimes looser, containing as much as almost 50% sand, and sometimes firmer, with a higher content of silt and, above-all, clay. Though temperature patterns during the year are typical of a continental climate, with rainfall concentrated in spring and autumn, conditions can vary considerably and this is what can make each vintage so extraordinarily diverse.