Grignolino

Grignolino is one of the oldest Piedmontese grape varieties. And when we say old, we mean really old, because it is mentioned in Medieval records dating as far back as 1337. 

It is mid to late ripening and has a tendency to ripen unevenly. It also has more pips than other grape varieties, which can lead to harsh tannins when not handled gently in the winery. 

Grignolino is at home in the calcareous soils of Monferrato, once a famous wine region that was revered by kings and popes alike. Alas, in the last decades it got overshadowed by its famous neighbors Barolo and Barbaresco in the Langhe.

Grignolino is worth preserving, because its wine are at once elegant yet powerful. They are low in alcohol but have a zippy acidity and grippy tannins, and dance between red fruit, alpine herbs, and a touch of meat and minerality.