Roberto Voerzio
Producer website
Source: VinConnect (VinConnect.com)
This now cult status winery was established in 1986, when a young Roberto Voerzio decided to leave the family business to make wine on his own, with the support of his wife Pinuccia. The estate began with just two hectares (5 acres), but years of patient and diligent negotiations were rewarded with the acquisition of some of the most prestigious and historic crus in La Morra for the production of Barolo as well as excellent vineyards for varieties such as Dolcetto, Barbera, Nebbiolo and Merlot.
At Roberto Voerzio, an almost fanatical attention and dedication is lavished on each and every vineyard, vine and cluster. High density planting (6,000/8000 vines per hectare), short winter pruning (leaving just 6-8 buds per plant), a green harvest in mid-July (reducing the bunches by more than 50%) and a second thinning-out in mid-August (during which each cluster is reduced in size by cutting off the bottom part and leaving just the full, more concentrated upper section) translate into drastically reduced yields, at little as 500 g per plant for the most prestigious vineyards.
Roberto Voerzio’s viticultural philosophy is simple: work the vineyards with the utmost respect. No chemical fertilizers, weed-killers, fungicides or other substances are utilized. Weeds between vineyard rows are removed manually and each individual vine is fertilized by hand using cow manure or humus, depending on the specific needs of the plant.
A non-interventionalist philosophy is applied in the cellar as well where fermentation takes place naturally (without yeast inoculation) in stainless steel tanks. After the malolactic fermentation is complete (also in stainless steel), all the wines except Dolcetto are aged in wood, using a combination of large oak casks and small French oak barrels. Nothing is added and the wines are not filtered.
This meticulous approach both in the vineyards and cellar has granted Roberto Voerzio countless accolades and admiration from wine enthusiasts around the world, each bottle a masterpiece of authenticity.
“The wines of Roberto Voerzio are often (mistakenly) categorized as “modern.” We don’t produce modern wines. Perhaps the approach we take in the vineyards could be considered progressive, but it’s really nothing new; growers in other parts of the world have been applying the same methods for years.” – Davide Voerzio