Döi Crutin Wine Shop
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Amidst the hills of Barbaresco, in the central Piazza Italia, you can breathe in the atmosphere of the ancient village of Neive, one of the most characteristic and visited towns in the Langhe, of medieval origins.
Inside an expertly restored 17th-century house with exposed brick and a ceiling adorned with wooden beams, brothers Marco and Massimo Barbero, former owners of Cascina Fonda Winery, inaugurated their new wine business: the Döi Crutin wine shop.
The recovery of the premises was also made possible by the intervention of Alba architect Gino Protto.
Drink, think, eat
Clear your mind and relax in a convivial location.
This is the motto that sums up the spirit of the restaurant: an informal place, ideal for lingering to enjoy a glass of wine from the family’s production or an aperitif accompanied by tasty cold cuts.
The venue
Cascina Fonda’s wines, arranged along the walls of the lower floor, make the room shine and are embellished by the dishevelled woman and by the four large playing cards where artist Rita Barbero has associated each figure with an important wine from the area: the king represents Barolo, the queen Barbaresco, the knave Moscato d’Asti, and the ace Alta Langa.
These are unique paintings made with wine: starting with a stain of it on paper, Rita creates works where women are the protagonists. There are also magnums and barrels hand-painted by Ferruccio Borgogno.
Visible on the ground floor are the ancient well, used for water supply, and two small caves dug into the tuff: hence the term in Piedmontese dialect doi crutin. There is also a collection of Romano Levi‘s grappas here.
The upper floor features two distinct rooms: among Ferruccio Borgogno’s rural-themed paintings and niches on the walls are an antique wooden manual corking machine and a small museum of historic corkscrews, which are still working and usable.
During warm weather, guests can sit outside where the outdoor seating area features colorful barriques by writer Stefano Castelli and large chairs made by carpenter Gino Bosca.
The Wines
Cascina Fonda Winery specializes in the production of some of the area's most renowned wines
Among the labels on offer are bubbles from Alta Langa, Barbaresco the Langhe Chardonnay, and sweet wines: Moscato d’Asti, Asti Spumante, and Brachetto Spumante.
The same can be tasted and purchased directly at Döi Crutin in Piazza Italia 4 or at the winery located in Neive at Via Spessa 27.
From the vineyards located between the hills of Mango and Neive, Cascina Fonda obtains its wines divided into four categories: red wines, white wines, and sweet and dry bubbles.
Dry bubbles
Alta Langa Metodo Classico Blanc de noir, was born from the meeting of pinot noir and chardonnay grapes, a direct expression of a territory with a vocation for producing great bubbles.
The latest is the Classic Method Blanc de Blancs in elegant white bottle available with the 2020 vintage.
Completing the production of dry sparkling wines are Driveri Metodo Classico Extra Brut and Brut Nature, obtained from the production of Moscato Secco.
Sweet bubbles
The processing of Moscato grapes produces three different versions of the DOCG of the same name: Moscato d’Asti, Asti Spumante and Canelli Moscato.
Piemonte Brachetto Spumante DOC, a typical red wine from Piedmont, is made from 100% Brachetto Rosso grapes.
Also notable are Tarsivo Moscato Spumante made from a selection of overripe grapes from the old vineyard, Chiara Blanc and Giò Rosè.
The harmonious notes of these wines go well with aperitifs, desserts, fruit salads, ice cream and cakes.
Special features include the Passito di Moscato Passion, a meditation wine made from raisin and overripe Moscato grapes aged 12 months in barrels, and the zero-alcohol grape must, made from a blend of Brachetto and Moscato flower musts.
Red wines and white wines
The red wines express the typicality of the territory, starting with the easy-drinking Dolcetto d’Alba, continuing toward the elegance of Langhe Nebbiolo, to the intensity and depth of Barbaresco DOCG.
Cascina Fonda also offers two types of white wines: an elegant and intense Chardonnay and Melange, the latest creation and the result of the experience of vinifying Muscat grapes, ideal to accompany white meats or as an aperitif.
There is also a selection of Moscato, Brachetto and Nebbiolo grappas from Barbaresco.
Produced Wines
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Vineyards Location
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Visits & Tastings
The aperitifs and tastings at the Döi Crutin
At Döi Crutin, Cascina Fonda wines can be tasted by the glass or chosen as the basis for original cocktails accompanied by breadsticks, bread and rich sliced meats.
The meats, cheeses, and jams are all quality products chosen from small local farms or mountain locations.
Guided tastings
Marco and Massimo Barbero have designed two types of tastings to discover the estate wines, but experiences other than those proposed can be arranged.
- Classic tasting: 3 wines of your choice excluding Alta Langa and Barbaresco → 13.00 €
- Noble tasting: Alta Langa, Barbaresco and another wine of your choice → 20.00 €
Cocktails
The estate wines are also the bases for creating cocktails including:
- Döi Crutin aperitif (sparkling wine + grape must) → 7.00 €
- Cascina Fonda aperitif (grappa + grape must) → 7.00 €
During warm weather, it is possible to sit in the dehors in the square, around the barrels repurposed as round tables.
The location is evocative: a small, well-kept 17th-century living room, home to restaurants, wine bars and ancient buildings including the old City Hall, the white, slender Palazzo Borghese recognizable by the municipal coat of arms and now a museum home of the Wild Woman dedicated to the Grappa poet Romano Levi.
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The environments
An evocative venue with ancient history
The restaurant is located inside a building dating back to the late 1500s that matches the row of old houses that hug the square.
Its history is as old as it is interesting as it is said that the building material was recovered from the ancient castle destroyed in 1274 during one of the many wars between the people of Alba and Asti.
The two small caves, from which the place takes its name, were originally small rooms dug into the tuff and used as pantries for food storage, thanks to the constant cool temperature all year round.
According to some sources, the cavity on the left had an opening connected to the tunnels that ran under the village to facilitate escape in case of enemy attack. In fact, Neive was a contested center between the people of Alba and the people of Asti precisely because of its strategic location.
Two steps in Neive and the Langhe
Prices & Services
The proposals of the Döi Crutin
The tastings and cocktails
The proposed tastings
- Classic tasting: 3 wines of your choice excluding Alta Langa and Barbaresco → 13.00 €
- Noble tasting: Alta Langa, Barbaresco and another wine of your choice → 20.00 €
Accompanying: bread and breadsticks.
Cocktails
- Döi Crutin aperitif (sparkling wine + grape must) → 7.00 €
- Cascina Fonda aperitif (grappa + grape must) → 7.00 €
Platter of selected cold cuts and cheeses → 12.00 €
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