Piedmont, Italy
Ruchè is among the most alluring Piedmontese varietals, and once you’ve had it, its unmistakable. As a rare example of an aromatic red it performs at its best planted on north-facing calcareous soils to temper and refine its delicately floral and hypnotically spicy aromas. Once at risk of extinction, the rebirth of Ruchè began in the 1970s thanks to the efforts of priest Don Giacomo Cauda. Having received 10 rows of grapevines as a church benefit, he became determined to bring it back into production, planting the variety and encouraging others to do the same. The Morando family proved to be early advocates, planting their expanding Montalbera estate prevalently with new Ruchè vines in the mid-1980s. Today, with 115 ha of uninterrupted vineyards in a natural amphitheater surrounded by hazelnut groves, Montalbera is the largest private producer of Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato DOCG, accounting for 60% of the total production.