I Calici Wine, apricots and theater
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In a good bottle of wine, quality is formed by 3 factors: the soil, the climate and man. The first two components are aspects that do not depend on our will and are therefore invariable, while human work makes the difference.
I Calici is the farm run by Alberto and Ivan Troia, father and son respectively.
Their work is divided between the vineyards of Castellinaldo and Magliano Alfieri where the winery and the three hectares of apricot orchards are located, from which jams and marmalades are produced.
The selection of the best fruit qualities has always been one of the most arduous and rewarding tasks, in order to obtain genuine, healthy and good products without compromise.
Passion in producing red wines from Roero
Working the vineyard with care accomplishes a good part of the work.
What remains is vinification in the cellar which here takes place by combining the experience of 40 years of harvests, the teachings of the past and the conscious use of modern technologies.
The company produces three types of Barbera d’Alba including one Superiore and a Nebbiolo d’Alba, flanked by Roero Arneis and a rosé wine.
At I Calici, knowledge from the past and modern technologies are blended to produce wines of excellence
During warm weather, the first part of the tour takes place among the rows of the San Bernardo vineyard
Roero is a well-known tourist destination in food and wine and culture for the many castles and ancient villages
A story that
begins in 1920
in Magliano Alfieri
Wine craftsmanship, passion and pursuit of quality
The company's history began in the second decade of the 1900s, when Alberto Rava, grandfather of the winery's current owner, began vinifying his own grapes, producing a small quantity of wine to be sold in demijohns to private consumers in Turin.
The sale to private individuals is a tradition that, as for many small businesses of the time, has always represented an important occasion for meeting and conviviality.
Even today, this moment continues to be special for customers who, over time, have become friends and loyal visitors to the winery.
During the 1960s, the winery passed into the hands of Luigi, Alberto's father, who flanked the production of wine with that of fresh summer and autumn fruit, also devoting himself to raising calves.
In the following years, as the latter activities decreased, the wine area increased.
Alberto, having completed his studies at the Alba School of Enology, chooses to work in the family.
The turning point for the production of quality wines occurs in 1997 with the construction of the new winemaking facilities and the first bottling.
With Ivan's entry into the company, both wine and fruit production expanded, particularly related to apricots, from which jams and marmalades are made.
The Wines
The exceptional soils of the Roero are naturally predisposed to the production of wine
The search for quality passes through the interventions carried out with care and rationality in the vineyard and the choice of the best grape varieties, capable of adapting to the type of soil.
Alberto calls himself a born barberista and has a strong passion for red wines of which he appreciates their evolution and change in the vineyard, as well as in the cellar.
With Ivan’s entry into the company, the project of reintroducing in a modern key some wines as they used to be made in the 1960s and 1970s became a reality.
The reds: Barbera and Nebbiolo d’Alba
Barbera d’Alba DOC Navi’ Ste is one of the gems of the production whose Piedmontese name means remember, as if Alberto’s father and grandfather were recommending not to forget what was learned from the teachings of the past.
It is a full-bodied and structured wine that has not touched any mechanical aid: the grapes are crushed with the feet, racking done with buckets, aging in demijohns outside the cellar and bottling without filtration. A production in limited edition (only 600 bottles that will triple with the 2024 harvest),
Barbera Superiore DOCG Esagerà is vinified for 12 months in French oak barrels. The grapes, rich in color, are suitable for aging in wood and are harvested in a vineyard located in the San Bernardo area. Here the view is breathtaking, which is why from spring to autumn it is the perfect location for aperitifs and tastings.
Barbera d’Alba Armondò is both traditional and modern. It is vinified in steel, therefore free from influences derived from wood, and offers flavors of cherry and blackberry.
Nebbiolo d’Alba Carpignan, vinified for 12 months in oak barrels, is grown on soils rich in fossil sand. It delivers delicate and floral aromas of berries and raspberry.
The white and the rosé
The wine range is completed by Roero Arneis DOCG Mai dire Mai, produced from 100% Arneis grapes and aged for one year in stainless steel. It is a fruity, intense and delicate wine, with hints of peach, apricot and tropical fruit that pairs well with white meats, freshwater fish and flavorful sea fish.
Obligè is a rosé rich in color, a blend of Nebbiolo and Barbera grapes, fresh and fruity, excellent with appetizers, fish and white meats.
Produced Wines
Vineyards Extension
N° of Bottles
Vineyards Location
Agricultural Method
The special red crates that are seen between the rows during the harvest allow the bunches to be transported while preserving their integrity
Alberto and Ivan welcome guests and lead the farm tour and tasting
Integrated pest management defends crops limits the use of pesticides as much as possible
Products
The birth of apricot jam and marmalade
90% of the apricots harvested end up on fresh market stalls in the areas of Turin, Milan and Novara. From a small quantity of the high-quality Laycot variety, Alberto and Ivan produce healthy and exquisite jams without preservatives or colorings.
The fruits are harvested at maximum ripeness, obtaining a high sugar content, reduced acidity and great organoleptic qualities.
Washed and pitted in the laboratory, the fruits are vacuum-cooked at low temperature (65°C), in order to safeguard the protein and organoleptic profile of the product, without adding any chemical additives before being pasteurized.
The three types of jams
The first type is free of added sugars with a pronounced acidity of the fruit. The second is closer to the standard of traditional marmalades with an addition of 150 grams of cane sugar per kilogram of pulp.
The third represents a novelty in terms of pairing and includes a small quantity of chopped prestigious Tonda e Gentile delle Langhe Hazelnut, toasted, fine and not at all invasive.
The marmalades are artisanal and free of preservatives. They have a two-year expiration date, but once opened, refrigerated storage and consumption within about ten days is recommended.
What to see at the end of the visit
The different types of jars can be purchased from the farm
Tasty fruit that, due to late ripening, releases all the flavors of summer
With their white or pinkish flowers, apricot trees herald spring
Experiences
In the winery for a journey through passion, experience and the unique wines of Roero
Upon arrival at the winery, weather permitting, it is possible to take a walk in the vineyard at the spectacular San Bernardo vineyard, where you can enjoy a welcome aperitif of Rosato or Roero Arneis.
In this location the company is introduced, emphasizing the importance of work in the vineyard, which follows the regulations of integrated pest management (with limited use of chemical products, with low environmental impact).
During the walk, Ivan accompanies guests in search of edible herbs such as lamb’s quarters, borage, nettles and amaranth, which can be collected and used at home to prepare pesto, omelets and salads, depending on the season.
Upon arrival at the winery, you discover the rooms where vinification and aging take place. Here there is also the barrel cellar where the Barbera Superiore and Nebbiolo d’Alba rest.
The long-awaited moment of tasting
Alberto offers his guests an alternative version of the tasting and takes on the role of Alby the Storyteller, his theatrical alter ego and writer of stories.
He speaks in an original way about his wines and tells anecdotes he has personally experienced, sometimes humorous, sometimes tragic, but always stories of true peasant life.
When I proudly took my mother to the vineyard for the first time to do thinning, after fifteen minutes she went home. I followed her and she pulled my hair, offended because we were throwing bunches on the ground.
The tasting costs 20 euros per person and includes:
- guided winery tour
- direct tasting from the barrels of wines being aged
- tasting of the 5 wines of the production accompanied by typical local products
- tasting of apricot jams
The tasting in the vineyard
With a minimum of 15 guests, the same tasting can be held in the evening and during the warm season and weather permitting among the rows of the San Bernardo vineyard.
In the months of September and October it is also possible to request it at lunch due to the cooler climate during the central hours of the day.
Groups
Experience Duration
Booking
Experience Price
The introduction to the area is accompanied by an initial tasting in the vineyard during the warm season
In the winery they keep alive some traditional techniques handed down from ancestors
A convivial food and wine experience that returns during the warm season with the perfect backdrop of the Roero hills
Prices & Services
Visits and direct purchases at the winery
Winery tour and guided tasting
The tasting costs €20.00 per person and includes:
- guided winery tour
- direct tasting from the barrels of wines being aged
- tasting of the 5 production wines accompanied by local products (cold cuts and cheeses)
- tasting of 3 apricot preserves
Upon request, the same tasting can be held in the vineyard (minimum 15 people).
Wine cellar prices
- Barbera d'Alba DOC Armondò → 7,50 €
- Barbera d'Alba DOC Navìste → 10,00 €
- Barbera d’Alba Superiore DOC Esagerà → 13,00 €
- Nebbiolo d'Alba DOC Carpignan → 11,00 €
- Roero Arneis DOCG Mai Dire Mai → 8,00 €
- Vino Rosato Oblige → 7,00 €
Apricots and jams
- Sugar-free apricot jam 340 g → 6,00 €
- Apricot jam with brown sugar 340 g → 6,00 €
- Albycciola jam with grains of Tonda gentile delle Langhe hazelnut 340 g → 6,50 €
Services
Accepted Payments
I Calici
Wine, apricots and theater
Wine Producer in Magliano Alfieri
I Calici
Wine, apricots and theater
Wine Producer in Magliano Alfieri
