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The territory of Calosso, a small town of about 1,200 inhabitants straddling the Langhe and Monferrato regions, presents itself with a panorama thick with vineyards that reach their maximum splendor during the months of October and November thanks to one of the most enchanting foliages in Piedmont.
In a panoramic position, cantilevering over the steep south-facing vineyards, is the Fea Vini winery, a small, family-run business where Giuseppe and Tiziana, the owners, receive guests directly.
The welcome, the passion for this land and the fruits it offers remain etched in the memory of those who visit thanks to their authentic homely hospitality.
From the very first visit, one understands the desire to pass on, especially to the youngest, the experience gained through years of work, without neglecting the hardest aspects of rural life, in a land that in 50 years has gone from the misery of the Malora to an economic, cultural and touristic well-being.
A place of peace and tranquility among the UNESCO hills
This is the spirit with which Giuseppe faces the daily challenges of his profession
Calosso has always been a land of great wines, a land of which Moscato d’Asti is the main resource
A story that
begins in 1969
in Calosso
The winery stands in the territory that, like the characters, is also the protagonist of Cesare Pavese's novels
The Fea winery takes its name from the locality of the same name and was founded in Calosso in 1960 by Giuliano Chiarera, Tiziana's father.
It was Giuliano himself who passed on the attachment and love for this land and its products to his son-in-law Giuseppe Valente.
Abandoning his previous occupation as a wine representative, Giuseppe took over its management in 1990, expanding the areas planted with vines and modernizing the work in the vineyard and in the winery, diversifying production and refining the quality of the wines.
Today Fea Vini represents a family-run business that partly harvests grapes for fellow producers and partly bottles directly, reaching a total of about 10,000 bottles annually.
It is a history and experience handed down between several generations that, as Giuseppe recalls:
"A glass of our wine encapsulates the ancient experience of those who started making it and the continuity of those who have believed in their ability to make others know and appreciate what these vineyards have always represented: the purpose of their lives."
The Wines
Lively and colorful labels dressing some of the bottles in the company's line
Working while having fun is the spirit with which Giuseppe faces the daily challenges of his craft.
As his friend and oenologist Fulvio Farò likes to recall:
Good wine is born in the vineyard and not in the winery.
In getting to know Giuseppe, what strikes one are his dedication and continuous curiosity in carrying out the work of a winemaker: aspects that are reflected in the wines he produces in the municipalities of Calosso and Santo Stefano Belbo.
Two neighboring but different territories, united by an ancient history, when the Langhe and Monferrato emerged from the sea about 6 million years ago.
While the grapes grown in the Calosso area give a Moscato wine with a distinctive, distinct and delicate aroma, it is the Santo Stefano area that gives the top production wines.
- Langhe DOC Nebbiolo: fine, elegant and with spicy hints;
- Freisa d’Asti DOC: harmonious, with hints of rose and raspberry and distinct tannins;
- Calosso DOC Gamba di Pernice: produced from the rare Gamba Rossa vine, with a bouquet of oriental aromas reminiscent of green pepper and a spicy, intense flavor;
- Piedmont Moscato Passito DOC Così…Una Volta: made from only white grapes of the Passeretta quality, formed by very small berries, without pips (seeds).
From these 70-plus-year-old vines, a raisin wine of extraordinary quality has been made since 1990, delicate and perhaps finer than Moscato itself, produced in special vintages and in limited numbers of bottles.
A dedication to the daughters Beatrice and Giulia
Two wines in the production are dedicated to Tiziana and Giuseppe’s daughters: the Moscato Secco Beatrice, made from 100% Moscato grapes, and the Rosato Juliette, produced from indigenous grapes selected from the best quality of the vintage.
Flanking the production are the classic DOC labels of the Langhe and Monferrato: Barbera d’Asti DOCG, both classic and Superiore, Monferrato Dolcetto DOC, Langhe DOC Nebbiolo and Monferrato Rosso DOC Rocca Fea.
The latter is almost like an experimental wine, a blend of Nebbiolo and the local native variety Gambarossa.
Produced Wines
Vineyards Extension
N° of Bottles
Vineyards Location
Agricultural Method
A building with a history of over 200 years behind it built of brick and Langa stone
Fea Vini owners welcoming guests and leading the tour and guided tasting
Upon request, it is possible to carry out the walk among the rows, which should be done with suitable footwear
Visits & Tastings
Upon arriving at the company, you'll be on a first-name basis because the visiting guests are not customers, but friends
Tours and tastings are led by Giuseppe and Tiziana, who introduce the winery’s history on the small panoramic plateau in front of the winery.
They talk about the land, vineyard work always conducted with respect for the environment and biodiversity: vineyard operations are kept to a minimum and inter-row work is done so as to replace or limit chemical interventions.
With its ability to engage the guest, even the youngest will be interested in the seasonal cycles and interventions necessary to foster the growth of a healthy and robust vine.
We then move to the small and quaint Cantina where grape processing takes place: a building that bears witness to rural life in the past with a history of more than 200 years.
Testifying to this is the discovery of a tile dated 1815 and the handprint of a builder stamped into the top of the vault bearing the date 1805.
The types of tasting
The tasting room, which formerly housed the barn, is a small cool area characterized by vaults and thick load-bearing walls.
Here you can choose from four different types of tastings:
- 15€/person → tasting of 3 wines + tasting of cured meats and tasting of typical cheeses, bread and breadsticks;
- 20€/person → tasting of 5 wines + tasting of cured meats and tasting of typical cheeses, bread and breadsticks.
The Crutin: ancient pantry of the Langa farmers
The area used for storage, where the bottles and barrels where the wines destined for aging rest on display, encloses a gem that always intrigues visitors: there is in fact a crutin dug into the tuff, that is, a passable tunnel with a blind bottom and closed by a now-dry well.
Groups
Visit Duration
Booking
Tasting Price
A cool and relaxing environment where you can discover production wines accompanied by typical products
The tasting is measured to the needs of the guests, whether they are expert connoisseurs or simple enthusiasts
Renovations have revealed an old crutin, the ancient pantry of Langa farmers
The town of Calosso
An active town, full of events throughout the year
Calosso is nestled in a naturalistic and scenic environment of great charm.
The town boasts a characteristic medieval village dominated by the castle and the church of San Martino, embellished with an artistic wooden choir and an imposing nave.
The historic center then reveals an evocative underground itinerary, the work of the ingenious hands of the people of the past: these are the crotin, ancient cellars dug into the tuff, unique in their kind, which host tastings of typical dishes and wines during the well-known Fiera del Rapulè, a not-to-be-missed event on the third weekend of October.
Between June and July, the traditional appointment with the Summer Festival and the Cammina Cammina, a walk among the UNESCO vineyards that connect the various wineries, takes place.
In November, the month in which Calosso celebrates the patronal feast of Sant’ Alessandro Sauli, for two consecutive weekends, the town’s Pro Loco offers the chance to taste one of the most typically Piedmontese dishes: the Bagna Caoda del Beato prepared according to the oldest Piedmontese culinary tradition.
The territory of Calosso: colors, sounds and tastes
A small rural village rich in history and traditions still alive today
Prices & Services
Possibility of Direct Purchase in the Cellar
Types of tasting
- 15€/person → tasting of 3 wines + tasting of cured meats and tasting of typical cheeses, bread and breadsticks;
- 20€/person → tasting of 5 wines + tasting of cured meats and tasting of typical cheeses, bread and breadsticks.
Wines can be shipped to the destination of your choice.
Services
Accepted Payments
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