PERSON | The Fontana family has practically always been in the Langhe: some documents place them among these hills as early as the end of the 1400s. About 200 years ago, the youngest of the seven brothers moved into the house inhabited today by Livia, which takes her name, Cascina Fontanin. A typical Langhe farm, with hazelnut vineyards, grains, pastures and livestock, it was Livia's grandfather, Saverio, who started bottling, among the first in Castiglione Falletto. But it was in 1992 that the real turning point came: Livia's father, Ettore, transformed the farm into a wine making company. Today Livia is supported by her sons, Michele, who takes care of the cellar, and Lorenzo, who instead takes care of the commercial part: with their arrival in the business, a new and modern identity is emerging in the winery.
VINEYARD | The estate counts on a vineyard that extends for ten hectares, most of which is in the municipality of Castiglione Falletto, in the Mariondino and Villero MGAs. But a small part of the vineyard also falls in Monforte d'Alba, in the Bussia cru. We are in the presence of one of the most important MGA of Barolo, as well as one of the largest with its 300 hectares of vineyards. Here Livia, Michele and Lorenzo have half a hectare right under the cellar at about 300 metres above sea level, right on the border with Castiglione Falletto: we are therefore dealing with a "frontier" Barolo, without that imposing tannic structure that is found when you get closer to Monforte.
WINE | The 2016 vintage was celebrated as one of the best of the second decade of the 2000s.All the labels we tasted in the Langhe seem to confirm this. Also this Bussia Riserva goes in the same direction. The approach given by Michele is rather traditional: maceration for about twenty days, maturation in 20-hectolitre barrels for 30 months, then long ageing in the bottle. The fruit has not vanished at all in the aromatic bouquet: on the contrary, it discreetly forms the background to a spicy profile that veers towards nutmeg tones; liquorice root, cinchona, juniper and a suffused balsamic whiff then come second. On the palate it is graceful, characterised by tannins of great definition that frame the fruit that revitalises the sip and the deep finish. It's already very good... but why rush?
