Cascina Adelaide, Langhe Nebbiolo DOC, Piedmont, Italy, 2023

Producer Profile

Cascina Adelaide in the heart of Barolo is the lifelong dream of Amabile Droco – a dream born not only of a passion for the region’s wines, but also the diversity of the terroir to be found within the Barolo DOCG.

Having purchased an old farmhouse and accompanying vineyards in 1999, Amabile made considerable investments in a state-of-the-art gravity-fed winery and a top winemaking team that would set Cascina Adelaide apart from the rest. Yet it was his continuing ambition to own land in each of Barolo’s crus that made Cascina Adelaide a producer of note. As Amabile himself explains: “It’s the land that provides the difference, the wine provides the medium”. In keeping with this philosophy, no herbicides are used in the vineyards, and all of the harvesting and sorting is done by hand. Likewise, native yeasts and minimal sulphur are used during vinification, allowing the resulting wines to speak for themselves: deliciously complex Barolos that display an exacting attention to detail.

Viticulture

Fruit from the estate’s vineyards situated within the Barolo production area. The young vines are harvested separately and used specifically for the creation of this wine. The intention is to capture the purest expression of the Nebbiolo variety — not by crafting a ‘baby Barolo’, but by highlighting its natural elegance and freshness.

Winemaking

The fully ripened grapes are harvested into 20 kg perforated boxes, with strict cluster selection. They are crushed within a few hours of picking, and fermentation takes place at a controlled temperature of 28 °C, with gentle, repeated pumping over. Maceration lasts an average of 150 hours. Aged in large 30‑hectolitre barrels for no more than six months, and only in selected vintages.

Tasting Note

The wine yields a ruby-coloured wine with subtle garnet highlights. On the palate, it is savoury and fresh, offering notes of small red fruits and supported by polished, well‑integrated tannins.

Food matching

This wine pairs exceptionally well with red meat and game dishes, as its structure and refined tannins complement the richness and depth of flavours found in beef, lamb, venison, and other game meats.