There Barbera dei Sei Castelli Social Cellar It is the story of six municipalities and 260 members who believed in a dream. The largest cooperative in the Piedmont wine sector is also the largest producer of Barbera d'Asti DOCG.
Municipalities Agliano Terme, Castelnuovo Calcea, Mosaic, Calosso, San Marzano Olive Grove And Costigliole d'Asti They are part of the wine-growing landscapes of Langhe-Roero and Monferrato, listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 2014.
“We wanted to become a reference for Barbera d'Asti DOCG” he explains Enzo Gerbidirector of the winery and, after more than sixty years of activity, the initial project has become reality. The attention paid to the designation of origin, respect for the environment, the dedication of people and economic sustainability are the driving force behind an experience that begins and ends well beyond wine.
A tradition, that of the cooperative, which has distant roots. In the countryside, when the harvest was not sufficient, one could count on the solidarity of the families who lived in such and such a place.
“The results obtained highlight the power of the cooperative instrument,” he confirms. Mario SaccoPresident of Confcooperative Piemonte Sud The enhancement of the territory comes above all from the human side.
READ ALSO: Capital of wine and good food: what to see in Asti and what to do in the surrounding area
The Barbera of the future: “The awakening of the strain”
“Il Risveglio del Ceppo” is an invitation to look to the future. Safeguarding heritage for future generations is inspired by the resilience of some historic vines in the Asti region.
Since 2010, the winery, with the contribution of the Department of Oenology and Viticulture of the University of Turin, has been carrying out a wine selection and research project.
Starting with vineyards that are around ninety years old, we are asking ourselves how to use the genetic heritage of old Barbera individuals that have resisted change for years.
After the multiplication of the historic vines, we moved on to the creation of new vineyards with old and strong heritages. In the end, from the experimental vineyards, four individuals presented interesting characteristics.
The perseverance of the professionals involved in the project has given birth to a resilient, courageous and authentic Barbera, who, on June 30, at the new Wine tourism center has Castelnuovo Calceawas introduced as “The awakening of the stump ».
Proof of the fact that, as the agronomist points out, Vincenzo Gerbi “Research still lacks additional information.”
The museum The soul of wine in Castelnuovo Calcea
If tasting a glass is the first step to enjoying a good wine, what makes it unforgettable is the way it is described.
The sculptures of the vine stumps of Ezio Ferraris and the music of Master Christian Ravaglioli They guide the experience of those who, in a sip, imagine “the spirits of the vine” and their territory.
Castelnuovo Calcea is home to the new Wine Tourism Centre and the interactive museum The soul of Wine. La Cantina Sociale Barbera dei Sei Castelli opens a new store that brings together wine, art, music and much more.
Thanks also to the coordination work of Monica Meneghelli and the graphs of Lisa Perbellini Looking beyond wine has never been such a concrete gesture.
A guided tour that is not limited to tasting and selling a product, but leaves an open space, just go down a few steps.
On the lower floor of the wine tourism center, you are catapulted into a reality where the protagonists are the uprooted vines and the shapes they have taken.
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These are stories of resistance but also of harmony with the environment that once surrounded them and which, today, sees them exhibited, accompanied by a soundtrack created especially for them.
