Abbona Barbera d'Alba Rinaldi

The Family... Marziano Abbona has followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather producing wine in the village of Dogliani for over 100 years. This town is located in the Piemonte in northwestern Italy where gentle sloping hills allow for ideal vineyards. Daughter Mara is now doing much of the cellar work at this estate. She is talented and charismatic. I had a great dinner with Mara and her sister outside of Verona, a night that highlighted how food-appropriate well-made Italian wines are.

The Estate... Marziano runs a 40-hectare estate with the help of his wife and three children. Their region is a paradise for lovers of wine and truffles. Italy's Piedmont is located in the northwest corner of the peninsular country, and is nearly encircled by mountains with the Alps to the north and west and Appennines to the south, explaining the translation of Piemonte in Italian: at the foot of the mountain. The Mediterranean sea lies to the south, separated from Piedmont by the region of Liguria, with its narrow coastline dotted by fishing villages and vineyards producing their own respectable wines. The major wine growing area of Piedmont is nestled in the lower-lands, in the rolling Langhe and Monferrato hills.

The Farming... the Abbona family use sustainable farming practices to grow their grapes because they believe it produces better tasting fruit and therefore more delicious and interesting wines.