CASTINO, dal 1854

Located in the Monferrato comune of Agliano Terme, an ancient paese famous for its magnesium-rich thermal springs & Barbera grapes, seventh generation Samuele CASTINO started working alongside his padre Angelo & zio in 2020, having graduated in agronomia e enologia in Alba/Turin, then gained experience in Bordeaux, Burgundy, & Priorat. The family cantina was founded in 1854, with customers principally in Turin & Asti, & until recently was buying in fruit & wine, vinified in a series of old 50HL cement tanks, to supplement their 6ha in order to supply a local market.

The family cantina lies on a ridge between frazioni Bansella-Banchetti, Dani-Scorrone, & Vignole south-east of the village, on gently sloping calc-clay, gypsum, & sandy/limo soils. The 6ha is divided up between Barbera (3.5ha), Grignolino, Nebbiolo, & Cortese. Agliano Terme is the most western comune of Nizza DOCG, & one of 18 that form part of the territory; indeed the family make a Nizza DOCG from a small south-facing plot planted in 1992. They have some ancient (& younger) Grignolino vines, & in 2016 they planted their first Monferrato Nebbiolo vines. They also have a Barbera vineyard in the sand-rich comune of Mombercelli.

On joining his family, Samuele stopped the practice of using herbicides, & renovated the existing tino & botti grandi. He uses selective yeast, has introduced new tonneaux, & he prefers to vinify his Grignolino d’Asti without malolactic fermentation so as to retain as much freshness as possible.

The family recently invested in a GAI bottling machine, & they are trialling DIAM & Stelvin screw-cap closures, along with cork.