A HISTORIC ITALIAN BANK ENTERS WINE SPECTATOR’S “TOP 100” LIST: BARBERA ‘BRICCOTONDO’ 2006 BY FONTANAFREDDA, THE WINEMAKING COMPANY OWNED BY DEL MONTE DEI PASCHI DI SIENA BANK, HAS ENTERED THE TOP RANKS OF THE WORLD’S BEST WINES

The Italian Piedmont region’s Fontanafredda estate, owned by the Monte dei Paschi di Siena bank, has become exemplary with its Barbera ‘Briccotondo’ 2006 entering the “Top 100” list of the cult wine magazine Wine Spectator’s annual classification, the list that is capable of orienting the most important markets worldwide.

It is an important recognition for this “best buy” quality wine, fruit of a meticulous enological project that the team at the winery in Serralunga d’Alba created in 2004 during their study of high quality wines in order to place themselves in a mid level price range as a response to the challenges of the modern market.

And it is a success that follows shortly after the recent acquisition of Banca Antonveneta by Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena, now making it the third largest bank pole in Italy.
“Naturally, we are very satisfied with this recognition” – explained Roberto Vivarelli, managing director of Fontanafredda – “that awards an articulated project and the great effort by the entire company. It is a wine that was always imagined as a sample of quality, but at a reasonable price”.
The wine is sold in the United States for 13 dollars and is set among the “premium wines” which is the fullest and most competitive sector of the market.

But there is also another particularity that distinguishes the Barbera Fontanafredda ‘Briccotondo’ project: it is a wine destined, for now, exclusively for the foreign market. “The sales of Barbera ‘Briccotondo’ – continued Vivarelli – “are concentrated on the Swedish, Canadian, U.S., and British markets and there are decidedly positive returns from a project that, on the commercial front, as well, has certainly followed the signs”.

‘Briccotondo’, whose creator and enologist is Danilo Drocco, was made from the vineyards of Monferrato, recently acquired by the Fontanafredda estate, and had its market premier in April of 2005. “Fontanafredda has made a goal of 500,000 bottles commercialized by 2009; but, already, in 2007 the wine has reached a quota of 400,000 bottles sold, anticipating by one year our commercial goals”.
It is a wine strongly rooted in its territory of origin, primarily with its smell that is decidedly varietal, and with its faithful interpretation of Langarola traditions in winemaking.
“Fontanafredda” – concluded Vivarelli – “is a productive reality historically oriented towards high quality, starting with its Barolo, which is distinguished by its faithfulness to the territory of origin; a characteristic that is fully expressed in the Barbera ‘Briccotondo’, a wine of little pretension but with its territoriality intact.”