Roero (2019)

About this wine

Marchisio Roero 2019 is a red from the Roero DOCG in Piedmont, where the rules require the wine to be made from at least 95 percent Nebbiolo. The nose leans toward tart red cherry, raspberry, dried rose, violet, and a light note of orange peel, with an earthy undertone that builds with air. On the palate it is medium bodied and energetic, with a core of red fruit, brisk acidity, and Nebbiolo’s trademark tannins that feel firm yet fine grained. Roero is known for sandier soils than many neighboring Nebbiolo zones, and that often shows up here as a slightly lighter feel and more lifted perfume rather than sheer weight. The appellation also requires a minimum of 20 months of aging, including at least six months in wood, which adds gentle spice and helps round the structure without masking the fruit.

About the grape

Nebbiolo is an ancient Piedmont grape with written records from the 13th century and has been cultivated in Roero since at least the 14th century, where it is used almost exclusively for the DOCG red. In Roero it is grown on sandy, fossil rich hills and clay pockets that tend to soften Nebbiolo tannins and help earlier approachability, and producers commonly plant the lampia, michet and rosé clones on well exposed hillside sites. The variety buds early and ripens late so growers place it on warm, sunlit slopes and use careful training and canopy work to avoid spring frost and ensure full ripeness, while regional rules require at least 95 percent Nebbiolo for Roero red wines so this grape forms the backbone of the Marchisio bottling.

Quick facts

• ⛰️ Marchisio’s Roero Nebbiolo vines sit on the historic Rocca Ceretto hill, a single sunny summit the family has farmed for generations.
• 🏺 The family sometimes ages their Nebbiolo in terracotta amphorae so the wine breathes differently than classic oak-matured Nebbiolo.
• 👪 Marchisio is a multi‑generation Roero family; relatives who still work the estate trace winemaking there back to the early 1900s.
• 🔋 Their cellar is carved into the hillside and paired with enough photovoltaic panels to push the winery toward energy self‑sufficiency.
• 🎭 Sergio Marchisio created playful names for family wines—one sparkling Nebbiolo is called Faiv, a blend of his children’s names Fabio and Ivo—showing the family’s quirky, personal approach to winemaking.

Palate profile

Producer

Marchisio Family Organic Estate is a small family run winery based in Castellinaldo d Alba in the Piedmont hills, focused on organic viticulture of Arneis, Barbera and Nebbiolo. The enterprise grew from local family vineyards into an organized agricultural company in the mid 2010s, keeping winemaking and cellar work in family hands. The estate participates in local consortia and regional tasting events, helping promote Castellinaldo appellations and Roero and Langhe varieties. Their production emphasizes traditional methods and a clear sense of terroir, including some experimental small scale fermentations. Visitors can find the family working both in the vineyards and at the cellars, and the company sells directly at local markets and events.