Roggero, Bruno e Marco

Halfway between the Basso (Roero & Langhe) & Alto Piemonte, just to the east of Torino, lies the spectacular fifty-five hectare region of Albugnano DOC, centred on the comune of the same name at its apex of 549m asl. The terreno here is ancient Miocenic arenaria, argilla, calcareo, gesso (gypsum), plus a scattering of greenstone/igneous ‘pietra di Serpentite‘ from Mte Monviso. The region is spread over four comunes of the Alto Monferrato: Albugnano, Pino d’Asti, Castelnuovo Don Bosco, e Passerano-Marmorito.

It was Evasio (Roggero), born in 1850, & his son Prospero, who planted the first vines (Barbera & Freisa) at the end of the 1800s; the wine in those days being delivered in a barrel (“butalin”/botte di legno) by Prospero to private customers on the back of his cart (‘cartun’/carro). Alas, during the 1920s the Roggero vineyards were destroyed by phylloxera, forcing Mario, back from the war, to replant in the post-war years. Their first vineyard of Nebbiolo was planted in 1969. Mario replaced the cart with a second-hand van, with which to transport his wine, now in demi-john (damigiana), to thirsty customers in Torino. Since the 1980s, Bruno & his fratello Marco have continued Mario’s legacy, & were among the founding fathers of the new Albugnano DOC in 1997.

The Roggero family now farm 7ha in the Albugnano frazione of Vallana, of which 1.5ha at circa 380m asl is devoted to Nebbiolo for making Albugnano DOC. They also grow local variety Montanera (Dousèt Vej), Grignolino, Friesa, Barbera, & Viognier.

And since 2017, Bruno’s son Mauro has taken over responsibility for the wines, having graduated in enologia e agronomia, while in 2023 his sorella Marina joined him as ‘Marketing Direttrice‘!

The Albugnano DOC disciplinare allows the addition of 15% Freisa/Barbera/Bonarda in the final wine. In 2023 they began ageing their 100% Nebbiolo, Albugnano DOC ‘Bric Carvè’ (Bricco Carnevale) in 20HL botte grande for the first time, while their Albugnano DOC ‘Il Giglio’ 2023 blended 93% Nebbiolo & 7% Freisa.