Producer Daniele Ricci

PIEDMONT

The Daniele Ricci winery is located in Costa Vescovado in the Tortona hills, in the province of Alessandria. The farm, called San Leto, was purchased by Daniele's grandfather in 1929, where he planted 6 hectares of vineyards in Barbera, Croatina and Timorasso, but he devoted himself mainly to raising animals. The real winery was built in the eighties by his father, but unfortunately in those years, thanks to the changed economic context and the increasing competition with the other wine-producing areas of Piedmont, many producers began to eradicate the vineyards of Timorasso. Daniele and his father were forced to supplement their income with another job, and for this reason Daniele found work as a casellante along the Milan-Serravalle. The turn of Timorasso is owed to Walter Massa, who in a little over 30 years succeeds in the miracle of bringing into existence this "minor" grape destined to disappear. At this point, Daniele decides to leave his job and return to his farm to devote himself to the family, but above all to make his wine, according to a careful reading of the management both in the vineyard and in the cellar. It converts the vines to organic farming, but it is in the cellar where it can experiment more. Long maceration on the skins, spontaneous fermentation, no temperature control, no clarification or filtration, refinement in large barrels of acacia or amphorae, all in a perspective of non-interventionism, so that it does not ruin what nature gives him. From all this are born really interesting wines, which speak the language of the highest enological excellence. Bottles deep and powerful, elegant and mineral, with surprising aging potential. Daniele, in addition to various interpretations of Timorasso, also produces interesting red wines based on Barbera and Croatina.