Chiarlo

GREAT ITALIAN WINES TASTING

Barbera Grapes: Pure

Michele Chiarlo

Calamandrana (Asti)

The Michele Chiarlo wine-growing company was founded by the current owner in 1956 in Calamandrana, in the heart of the classic Barbera d'Asti production zone. The company gradually expanded its activity through acquisitions of prestigious vineyards and the construction of two cellars in Barolo and Gavi. The priority has always been to identify and patiently purchase only vineyards in superb positions and then manage them with impressive and personalised dedication to achieve planned quality objectives: the unique, incomparable approach to making high quality wines.

Currently, the Company owns 50 hectares of vineyards producing, among other things, its flagship wines: La Court Barbera d’Asti “Nizza” Doc, Barolo Cerequio and Cannubi Docg, Montermareto Countacc; it also manages a further 52 hectares of vineyards through long-term contracts. As regards Barbera d'Asti, the Aluffi Estate in Castelnuovo Calcea is highly prestigious: 20 hectares of Barbera in the heart of the Nizza "super-zone", recently harmonised within the scope of Barbera d'Asti Doc regulations. The company also owns the extraordinarily interesting "La Court" Estate, producing a thoroughbred Barbera d’Asti.

Wine-making and oenology at the Company are the tasks of oenologists Stefano Chiarlo and Gianni Meleni.

The wine: La Court Barbera d’Asti Superiore Nizza Doc 2000

Grapes used: Barbera 100%

Production Characteristics: the soil comprises limestone marne poor in organic substances but rich in micro-elements, such as magnesium, that have a profound impact on the fineness of the wine. The harvest was conducted 3rd-4th October. Fermentation was in 50 hl. oak vats, with 12 days of contact with the skins; the wine was "matured" for 12 months (50% in the fermentation vat, 50% in 225 litre barrels). It was then refined for 12 months in the bottle.

Alcohol: 13.5% vol.

Presented by Michele Chiarlo

He gained his diploma as an oenologist at the Alba Institute in 1955 and in the following year began activity as a producer with a small cellar in Calamandrana. In view of the difficulty of selling quality wines on the Italian market, over the following years he took the chance to emphasise efforts on international markets and in 1966 gradually began exporting, initially to Germany and then to other European countries, and by the mid-1970s to the United States and Canada. In 1973, he built modern cellars in Calamandrana and became increasingly interested in great vineyards, purchasing the Cerequio and Cannubi Estates in Barolo, later followed by many other vineyards - especially in the Barbera d’Asti area and always in highly prestigious positions. Vineyards and the market have always been the great passions that have helped him expand his company, that today exports to more than 40 countries.

Winery

Michele Chiarlo

S.S. Nizza Canelli 99

14042 Calamandrana (At)

Tel: 39-0141-769030

Fax: 39-0141-769033

Email: chiarlo@tin.it

GREAT ITALIAN WINES TASTING
Barbera Grapes: Pure
Michele Chiarlo
Calamandrana (Asti)
	The Michele Chiarlo wine-growing company was founded by the current owner in 1956 in Calamandrana, in the heart of the classic Barbera d'Asti production zone. The company gradually expanded its activity through acquisitions of prestigious vineyards and the construction of two cellars in Barolo and Gavi. The priority has always been to identify and patiently purchase only vineyards in superb positions and then manage them with impressive and personalised dedication to achieve planned quality objectives: the unique, incomparable approach to making high quality wines. Currently, the Company owns 50 hectares of vineyards producing, among other things, its flagship wines: La Court Barbera d’Asti “Nizza” Doc, Barolo Cerequio and Cannubi Docg, Montermareto Countacc; it also manages a further 52 hectares of vineyards through long-term contracts. As regards Barbera d'Asti, the Aluffi Estate in Castelnuovo Calcea is highly prestigious: 20 hectares of Barbera in the heart of the Nizza "super-zone", recently harmonised within the scope of Barbera d'Asti Doc regulations. The company also owns the extraordinarily interesting "La Court" Estate, producing a thoroughbred Barbera d’Asti. Wine-making and oenology at the Company are the tasks of oenologists Stefano Chiarlo and Gianni Meleni.
The wine: La Court Barbera d’Asti Superiore Nizza Doc 2000
	Grapes used: Barbera 100% Production Characteristics: the soil comprises limestone marne poor in organic substances but rich in micro-elements, such as magnesium, that have a profound impact on the fineness of the wine. The harvest was conducted 3rd-4th October. Fermentation was in 50 hl. oak vats, with 12 days of contact with the skins; the wine was "matured" for 12 months (50% in the fermentation vat, 50% in 225 litre barrels). It was then refined for 12 months in the bottle. Alcohol: 13.5% vol.
Presented by Michele Chiarlo
	He gained his diploma as an oenologist at the Alba Institute in 1955 and in the following year began activity as a producer with a small cellar in Calamandrana. In view of the difficulty of selling quality wines on the Italian market, over the following years he took the chance to emphasise efforts on international markets and in 1966 gradually began exporting, initially to Germany and then to other European countries, and by the mid-1970s to the United States and Canada. In 1973, he built modern cellars in Calamandrana and became increasingly interested in great vineyards, purchasing the Cerequio and Cannubi Estates in Barolo, later followed by many other vineyards - especially in the Barbera d’Asti area and always in highly prestigious positions. Vineyards and the market have always been the great passions that have helped him expand his company, that today exports to more than 40 countries.
Winery
	Michele Chiarlo S.S. Nizza Canelli 99 14042 Calamandrana (At) Tel: 39-0141-769030 Fax: 39-0141-769033 Email: chiarlo@tin.it