I recently had the pleasure to join Carlo Galliano for a zoom tasting of six of Borgo Maragliano’s superb sparkling wines, kindly arranged by Studio Cru. The winery is privately owned by his family. He is the fifth generation managing the business and making the wine. Three generations are currently working together. His parents Guiseppe and Germana, Carlo and his wife Sylvia running the business with their two eldest sons Francesco and Giovani learning the wine making craft and happy to see the future.
Based in the small village of Laozzolo on the southern boarder of Piedmont. Their vineyards a great variety of soils and elevation for the different grapes. Chardonnay is planted in limestone soils in elevations from 390 to 580 above sea level. The Pinot Noir planted in Il Bricco vineyard across the valley from the winery is joined at its 610 m planting of Riesling and Moscato.
Their logo represents the soil, where steepness is the key climbing from 390 to 580 finishing at 610 metres above sea level. In the summer between 5.30-6am the morning temperature is 16C which is key to producing acidity in the wine.
Carlo was a dreamer. He saw that their soil and climate had the potential to grow more than the traditional Moscato, seeing the potential to grow Chardonnay and Pinot Noir to make the wines he was about to share.
The wineries sparkling wine story goes back 150 years. Giovanni Galliano founded the winery when he bought land in 1850. When Carlo Gancia returned working with Perrier-Jouet in Reims, he used the skills he had learnt how to make his first “champenoise” Italian Spumante by 1865.
In 1983 they planted their first their first 3.5 hectares with clones from Champagne. By 1988 it was time to bottle their first vintage of 1,400 bottles. “I was at the oenological high school in Alba and 13 or 14 of my mates came to help with the bottling. There was a big lunch, a big laugh and a lot of fun. We did the same routine until the mid90s when the production was a bit too large for it to be fun anymore.”
It wasn’t until 1990 that a group of producers aimed to set out a set of rules and a direction for the more snappily titled “Supmante Metodo Classico in Piemonte” project. 21 estates managed only 20 hectares of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Carlo remembers 1982 as the significant year of the winery. “The Moscato market was going like crazy, with grapes selling between five to six times of the previous year. It was a bubble and his father saw it. I was just 12 years old and he asked me what should we do. That was the moment we decided to back to planting Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes.”
Alta Langa is a vintage Piedmont’s Brut, a small appellation with a long history. The wines can only be made with Pinot Noir or Chardonnay grapes either as a varietal or as a blend. Either as a white or rose in Brut or Brut Nature style. It’s subject to 30 months on the lees. It was created as a DOC in 2002 and became a DOCG in 2011.
Time to taste 6 expressions of their sparkling wines each carrying the name of a family member to discover what the magic of Piedmonte hills can put into the bottle to create the exceptional wines we were privileged to pour into our glass.
Francesco Galliano Blanc de Blanc Millesimato 2019 is an excellent vintage Brut Blanc de Blanc made with Chardonnay from east exposed vineyards 410 metres above sea level, on steep sloped hillside rising up to 17%. The soil is strongly sand with tuff and limestone. The grapes are carefully hand harvested. The first fermentation is in steel tanks, the second in the bottle and rest on the lees for 36 months. Carlo believes that that timing is necessary to get the best out of the fruit otherwise its simply too dry. From the first sip I could taste the freshness and elegance of the wine, it was cleaning my mouth with delightful notes of Italian herbs. It works well with Asian cuisine especially seafood served either cook or as a sashimi.
Federico Galliano Brut Nature Millesimato 2018, it’s not officially an Alta Langa DOCG as the wine is made with 100% Rhine Riesling. But Carlo was convinced he could grow the grape to make an exceptional wine, here is the proof. In 2009 he brought 2,000 vines as clones picked up from the Mosel Valley from a vineyards touching 600m above sea level and planted them in his 14,000 square metres vineyard at a similar altitude. The handpicked grapes with no prior crushing. Fermentation takes place at very low temperatures to transmit and stabilise the aromatic qualities of these wonderful grapes. The wines are bottled in March the year after harvesting. On the nose these is plenty of fresh apples, green peppers, mandarin and sage leaf, fresh crisp directness on the palate combined with grippy minerality. An intriguing wine changes and evolves after 5 years , has great integrity and has written a new chapter to the wineries evolving book. It doesn’t meet the rules in terms of its grape but work exceptionally well.
Germana Beltrame Brut Nature S.A. IV Editione is 100% Chardonnay from vineyards yards at 410 metres above sea level. The wine is a blend of 6 vintages that were each vinified and aged separately. They were then blended on the basis of their characteristics then bottle aged for 36 months. Carlo dedicated this wine to his mother, the only female family member to have her name used as name for a wine. This wine shows the characteristics of the soil. It’s a challenge soil, to the last breath, putting soil, vine and man’s ability to interpret them to the test.
The structured bouquet features sensations of fruit, aromatic herbs and honey which bring out the true nature of the Chardonnay grape. This Blanc de Blancs expresses the true characteristics of a great grape grown in a very hostile terroir.
Giuseppe Galliano Brut Nature Millesime 2018 made from 20% Chardonnay and 80 % Pinot Noir giving the wine its structure. The grapes are from vineyards 410-450 metres above sea level. Obtained from two grape varieties used to create the wine which is bottle in April the year after harvesting. After dosage and the immediate addition of yeast from the batch the wine undergoes a second fermentation and left to mature for 48 months on the lees. The riddling and disgorging takes place 5 years after the harvest. The wine has two sensation the Pinot Noir gives a mushroom sense, an element from the soil. The Chardonnay gives honey bringing a sweet sensation.
Dogma Blanc de Noirs Brut Nature Millesime 2018.The name summarises their belief that Pinot Noir will always be an exceptional grape and will give them a great wine. Specifically they Clone 128 grapes from a single vineyard in the north. The grapes need particular attention during the final ripening phase. Precise selection of the grapes is essential to achieve a light colour, and reasonable high acidity, conveying ageing to the wine in the bottle. No sulphates are added to ensure that the wine’s colour and bottle in a green bottle to protect the colour. A juicy Brut Nature with amazing acidity, A beautiful expression of Pinot Noir that can comfortable drunk with red meat.
Giovanni Galliano Brut Rose Millesime 2019 100% Pinot Noir sourced at 410 metres above sea level. On arrival in the cellar the grapes are left to macerate for five to eight hours. The following soft pressing to favour the extraction of the must which, begins its first alcoholic fermentation. The wine is left to mature on its lees for 36 months. A soft pink wine with a very fine perlage. Carlo loves the wines light colour and the perfume aroma from the grapes.
The beauty of Alta Langa excites, refreshes as it flows elegantly into the mouth. Proof that Carlo’s vision has the wines of his dreams.
A discovery journey with Laurence Civil of his best tasting experiences 
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