Wines

A unique sparkling wine made from Erbaluce and aged in bottle for 18 to 36 months, all in the Champagne tradition.  The soil underlying the Erbaluce vineyards was formed millions of years ago during the ice age and is essentially a glacial moraine of stone and silt.  Approximately 2,000 bottles of this hand-crafted spumante are produced annually.

A fresh, dry, mineral-driven wine produced exclusively from the Erbaluce grape.  As are all the grapes in the Ferrando lineup, the Erbaluce is hand-harvested. Harvest usually occurs in late September. This cuvée is fermented and aged in stainless steel.  The vineyards are situated in and around the village of Caluso in the heart of the Canavese district known for its many lakes and the hillside vineyards which overlook them.  Production is approximately 20,000 bottles per annum, at least half of which is dedicated to the American market.

This special cuvée is produced from the single-vineyard “cru” site of Cascina Cariola situated in the village of Piverone.  For ultimate ripeness, harvest frequently takes place in the first days of October.  Fermentation is at controlled temperatures in stainless steel cuves.  The wine, approximately 6,000 bottles annually, is bottled 9 to 12 months after harvest and is released after several months of additional aging in bottle.  The US market receives 2,400 bottles per annum.

This fabled wine is the traditional late harvest wine of the region and is sourced from the Cariola vineyard in the village of Piverone. Harvest occurs in late September at which point the grapes are left on racks to dry for five months before being pressed gently during the month of March following the year of harvest. The juice is then fermented in barrique and aged for an additional two years in small barrel followed by two years of bottle aging prior to release. The wine, we assure you, will age to perfection over an eternity!  Approximately 2,000 half bottles are produced annually. The Caluso Passito “Cascina Cariola” is a wonderful companion to dried fruits and aromatic, flavorful cheeses and is a classic “vino da meditazione”.

Produced predominantly from Nebbiolo with roughly 30% Barbera and a touch of a local variety known as “Neretta” (the “little black”), this lovely red wine, vinified in stainless steel and bottled 12 to 15 months after harvest, is full of wild berries (notably strawberry and raspberry), spice and a touch of warm earthiness.  The tannins are delicate and fine which enables this wine to be consumed with pleasure in its youth.  As always with Nebbiolo-based wines, harvest occurs usually in the early to mid parts of October.  Approximately 8,000 bottles of this wine are produced annually and a major portion of the production is shipped under our care for sale in the US market.

There is any wine that defines the Ferrando “oeuvre” it is this one: the white label Carema.  No single wine in our portfolio is more illustrative of our work than this brilliant rendition of Nebbiolo. Produced exclusively from the Nebbiolo grape planted in a series of vineyards that sit beneath Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) in a broad amphitheatre with full southern exposure overlooking the river, Dora Baltea, that runs from the snow-capped mountains south through the Valle d’Aosta into the northwestern range of Piedmont slicing the city of Ivrea in half.  The vines are trained in a special way on pergola (known as “tupin” in local dialect) to obtain maximum exposure to the sun in this high altitude district and are planted to soils that are dominated by slate.  The appellation of Carema is extremely small: only 16 hectares (approximately 40 acres) are planted to the vine.  The Ferrando family controls 2.5 hectares of the appellation. The Nebbiolo grapes are harvested normally during the second half of October; then, they undergo a cuvaison of approximately two weeks in stainless steel before being racked into a mixture of large and small barrels for an extensive aging period of 30 to 36 months before being bottled (without filtration).  By law, the Carema cannot be released before four years of aging.  Production of the Carema “Etichetta Bianca” is approximately 7,200 bottles per annum, two-thirds of which (4,800 bottles) comes to the States.  A small quantity of magnums is bottled each year at our request as well.  The Carema of Ferrando reveals the most elegant and delicate and complex characteristics of the Nebbiolo grape with a surprising capacity to age.  We have witnessed this wine at thirty-plus years of age displaying vibrant, seductive qualities that are simply astonishing.

This exceptional and rare wine is produced only in the finest vintages.  It comes from a special selection of grapes harvested from several particularly well-placed parcels within the appellation (frequently from the Silanc and Siei vineyard sites).  Aged for at least three years prior to bottling, the “élevage” is done primarily in small barrels, only a small percentage of which are new.  One hundred of the three hundred cases produced are dedicated to the US market, augmented by a small amount of magnums.

We import from time-to-time small amounts of two grappas distilled from the must and grapes of the Nebbiolo and Erbaluce grapes used by the Ferrando family to produce their exceptional range of wines.  The Grappas are clear, smooth and elegant … the perfect digestifs.