Azienda Agricola Sukula

About Winery and Wines

Azienda Agricola Sukula is a family-run, artisanal wine estate located in the medieval village of Serralunga d’Alba in Piedmont, Italy. Nestled in the heart of the Barolo DOCG zone, Sukula has been producing world-class wines since 2006. The estate is just under two hectares, which allows for an incredible attention to detail that is not always found at other wineries in the region. Due to the limited production size of the estate and a careful eye for quality, Sukula produces only 4,500 bottles per year and is considered a micro-producer in a region where many other wine estates are already quite small. Sukula wines represent a truly artisanal and high-valued product, where each and every step of the wine-making process is carried out by hand. Currently the estate produces award-winning Barolo (Meriame cru) and Barbera d’Alba. Winemaker Riikka Sukula originally hails from Finland, but fell in love with Piedmont and it’s famous wines when she traveled to the region on a wine purchasing trip for her Finnish import company Belmondo. Riikka’s story is one of romance and dreams fulfilled. Being told again and again that the true art of wine-making happened in the vineyard, Riikka wanted to experience firsthand the seasonal magic of the wine year. The Sukula estate’s nebbiolo vines surround Riikka’s restored farmhouse, a near-ruin when she first found it in 2005. Typical of her character, Riikka accepted the challenge head-on, and orchestrated a complete home renovation. During renovations, Riikka and her husband, well-known Finnish chef Jyrki Sukula, started a family (the two currently have two beautiful daughters).

Here at Sukula we focus on the King and Queen of Italian grapes: nebbiolo and barbera. We craft stellar bottles of Barolo and Barbera d’Alba from our small estate, and our small size ensures a focus on quality and consistency. Nebbiolo, named for the eponymous fog that lies thick over the hills of the Barolo zone, is one of the most exquisite grape varieties in the world. Nebbiolo is late ripening and thin-skinned, often resulting in a relatively light-colored and acidic wine. The highest expression of the nebbiolo grape is found in DOCG Barolo bottlings, which can be extremely perfumed and delicate on the palate. Our signature Sukula Meriame Barolo shows dark red fruit aromas, a hint of minerality, and acidity typical of the style. Barbera is one of the most widely-planted varieties in the Langhe wine zone. Due to this, wide variations in style exist, but most barberas exhibit a brightness and red fruit flavors. Our Sukula Barbera d’Alba has a deep ruby color, an intense berry scent, and exhibits balanced acidity.