Nizza: Chiarlo doubles in Docg World Summit Barbera

Nizza continues to be the news, the qualitative summit of the Barbera world, which for a few days now has officially been recognized as a DOCG, and already in the limelight of the news with Nizza Cipressi 2015 by Michele Chiarlo, at the top of the “Top 100” 2018 of the US magazine “Wine Enthusiast”. Michele Chiarlo, a reference company and pioneer in the area, continues to invest in Nizza, with the acquisition of another 10 hectares of vineyards. This acquisition strengthens Chiarlo’s ties with Monferrato and the Nizza denomination, where it now owns a total of 20 hectares, with the 10 hectares of the historic La Court estate, to which are now added 2.5 hectares in the municipality of Castelnuovo Calcea, in the Montemareto cru, and 7.5 hectares in Mombercelli, in the Moncucco Cavino cru.

“We are delighted to have had the opportunity to add to our vineyard heritage two plots in a denomination that we strongly wanted and that we intend to continue to support - says Stefano Chiarlo, owner together with his brother Alberto and to his father Michele Della Michele Chiarlo - since the dawn of this DOCG, at the time when our father Michele was the first president of the newly formed Association of Nizza, we believed that this wine, which is receiving important acknowledgments from national and international critics, had all the credentials to enter the list of the great Piedmont reds. The investments on this territory are a concrete proof of its great potential, which as producers and members of the Association is our desire to continue to enhance in the vineyard and to promote in international markets“.

Today, according to WineNews estimates, one hectare of vines in Nizza is around 120,000 euros per hectare, or even more, for the best plots. And this further investment confirms the growth and health of the territory and the trust of the producers.
“The recognition of the Barbera and Nizza markets and the perception of qualitative growth in the world are also important signals for those involved in their promotion - comments Filippo Mobrici, president of the Consorzio della Barbera d’Asti e Vini del Monferrato, to WineNews - and there is another important signal that I like to underline: in the last few years the erosion of vineyards has stopped, indeed, growth has started again, also thanks to the redemption of Barbera and Nizza, and this is a comforting aspect”.

Both vineyards acquired by Chiarlo extend within the central part of the Nizza docg. The parcel of Montemareto (2.5 hectares) is characterized by a steep slope and an southern exposure that enables to have, during the summer and autumn, a considerable number of hours of light. The soils are of marine sedimentary origin with a prevalence of light, sandy, silty marl and an important presence of microelements including calcium and magnesium, characteristics that contribute to the production of structured, long-lived and balanced wines.
A few kilometers to the north lie the 7.5 hectares of vineyard with southern exposure located within the cru Moncucco Cavino. Here the hills become sweeter and the white soils typical of this area are colored with blue hues, due to the consistent presence of lugagnano clays. In this area, in fact, the sandy component is limited compared to the silty one, which is revealed in wines characterized by freshness, acidity, and minerality.

“It will be an honor for us to deal with these new plots and it is our intention, if the right opportunities arise, to continue to invest in the great territories of Piedmont because our family’s vocation has always been to make wine in the most prestigious denominations in Piedmont”, concludes Stefano Chiarlo.