People living in this small piece of Piedmont are proud and stubborn. This area is squeezed between Cuneo, North of Alba, on the left bank of Tanaro river, between the plain of Carmagnola and the low hills of Asti.
This is Roero, probably a less known area than Langhe, but made up of those people that are committed in promoting at their best wineries, vineyards, local food and wines, in an admirable team work. The so-called Associazione Enoteca Regionale del Roero 2.0, based in Canale (CN), definitely the “main city of Roero”, includes 66 wine producers (all the wineries of this area).
“The Association has been committed in promoting Roero, since 2018” tells Pier Paolo Guelfo, director of Enoteca Regionale del Roero “This commitment is recorded by the numbers of last year and by the growing interest in our wines”. The most demanded wine is Roero Arneis, followed by Roero Arneis Spumante.
One of the most centred event for communication was Vitis, a clear example of a modern approach to local traditions. The wine event was focused on “The whites of Roero”; a tasting of native wines paired to typical food from Roero. Arneis 2018 was the main wine at the tasting, together with the other native wines Langhe Favorita, Arneis Riserva and Moscato Giallo.
Vitis’ location was breathtaking and very fascinating: the porch of the historical Castello Sabaudo di Govone (Cuneo), where the “Wines of the Year 2019” received the accolades by Enoteca Regionale del Roero.
Roero, Unesco World Heritage
Since 2014 the amazing winey landscape of Roero, Langhe and Monferrato are World Heritage of Unesco, as witness of the historical tradition of vinegrowing and winemaking as socio-economic background of this area, still based on wine.
The area of DOCG Roero includes the following towns: Canale, Corneliano d’Alba, Piobesi d’Alba e Vezza d’Alba, e in parte di quelli di Baldissero d’Alba, Castagnito, Castellinaldo, Govone, Guarene, Magliano Alfieri, Montà, Montaldo Roero, Monteu Roero, Monticello d’Alba, Pocapaglia, Priocca, S. Vittoria d’Alba, S. Stefano Roero, Sommariva Perno.
The marine origin of the soil affects the wines.
The soil of Roero is mainly marly and sandy, with a high prevalence of sandstone, sedimentary rocks, layers of chalks, clay and sand, that makes soil loose, soft and permeable. No doubt, because of their origins, these soils are poor of organic matters, but rich in mineral salts . Local vines are grown by 400 mts a.s.l., on the slopes of hills where all operations must still be manual.