Morbelli, Carema DOC

About Morbelli

Carema is a small mountainous wine-growing district at the southern end of the Aosta Valley in the far northern corner of Piedmont, north-western Italy. It was awarded its DOC classification in 1967 and predominantly produces red wines from the Nebbiolo grape. Similar to the steep, coastal region of Liguria, Carema is a notoriously challenging place to grow vines and much patience and determination are needed a skill acquired over centuries of vine growing in the area. The vineyards sit 750m (2,460ft) above sea level on a series of terraces that rise dramatically toward the mountains. The vines are supported by granite columns and wooden posts, and the thin topsoil often gives way. This means growers have the arduous task of bringing the soil back up from the valley, rebuilding the terraces and stone walls and replanting the vines at the same altitude. Carema is a red winemaking zone and boasts the king of Italian red grapes, Nebbiolo, as its leading varietal. The wine must comprise 85% of this variety, the remainder made up of a maximum of 15% of authorized Piedmont red grapes. Ageing requirements are 36 months, of which 24 must be in wood, while the riserva must spend an extra six months in oak. Due to the cooler mountain climate, the grapes don't ripen as well as those further south in Barolo and Barbaresco. Like many of the Piedmontese reds made from Nebbiolo, they display a bouquet reminiscent of rose petals and have great ageing potential