Pelissero Pasquale

We have been passionately producing Barbaresco in Neive for four generations

Article in which Ornella of Pelissero Pasquale introduces herself:

I love walking through the vineyard at first dawn, accompanied by my dogs. I breathe and feel that I am in the right place. I was born while my mother was picking grapes. A sign of destiny.

Today, I manage the eight acres of vineyards of my family's farm. It bears the name of my father, Pasquale Pelissero. It was he who bottled the first bottle of Barbaresco Cascina Crosa in 1971 and invested in land and vineyards over the years.

We have been farmers and winemakers in Neive for more than a century. One of the best nebbiolos grows here: the Barbaresco. Now it is up to me and my son Simone, enologist, who helps me in the vineyard and in the cellar. From my garden you can hear the bell of the tower of Neive ringing. A few steps away you are among the rows of the cru San Giuliano.

It is a historic vineyard where four generations of the Pelissero family work together. In the middle is a ciabot, a small brick house with the statue of San Giuliano, after whom the cru is named, or as they say here, the Menzione Geografica Aggiuntiva. In the fine season, I organize tastings there to let my guests enjoy the magic of this vineyard. The philosophy

I come from a Langa farming family that has been passionately producing Barbaresco in Neive for four generations. I grew up among the vines: the smell of wine, earth and grapes is etched in my childhood memories. I still remember how my father's eyes lit up in the vineyard.

He passed away too early and in the beginning it was not easy to take over his legacy. It was a demanding task that required a lot of commitment. Today, my son Simone and I take care of everything at Cascina Crosa. We are busy in the vineyard, the wine cellar, the tasting room, receiving clients and commercial relations with foreign countries.

Giuseppe and Giovanni Pelissero, my grandfather and uncle, bought the farm, but with my father Pasquale came the turnaround: it was he who bottled the first bottle of Barbaresco Cascina Crosa in 1971 and over the years invested in land and vineyards.

We go to fairs and take care of ordering the wines and liaising with suppliers and importers. We believe that a great wine is born in the vineyard.

Therefore, in our daily work, we invest a lot of time in taking care of the soil. We vinify only grapes from our own production and age the wines and the Barbaresco in the traditional way, in large French oak barrels of 25/30 hectoliters. Our secret ingredient is the passion for our work and for our hills.

My farm consists of 8 hectares of vineyards in one whole around Cascina Crosa. I am grateful to my predecessors. Almost all the vineyards were replanted by my father in the 1990s.

The vineyard I am most proud of is San Giuliano. "San Giuliano" is one of 66 additional geographical indications allowed under the Barbaresco regulations. Until 1995, the MGA was "Gallina," then it was split up. A ciabot, a typical Langa brick house, dominates the hillside and vineyard. It houses the statue of the saint for whom the MGA is named. It is owned by the Curia and is cultural heritage. The vineyard and the ciabot are the link between four generations of my family.

In 2010 we renovated the wooden doors and windows that my grandfather Giuseppe had made in the early twentieth century. My son Simone says that place is magical. I say the genius loci, the soul of the company, is here . Every year I am the first to plant a rose in the color of Barbaresco, where the 8,000 bottles of Barbaresco Bricco San Giuliano and the 1,000 bottles of Barbaresco Riserva Bricco San Giuliano are produced.

Another vineyard we own is Cascina Crosa: it is 4000 meters in size and is the company's historic vineyard. It was planted 65 years ago by my grandfather Giuseppe and is located under the bell tower of Neive. When we are in the vineyard, we can hear the hours striking.

We also have a small vineyard with Freisa, just under 4000 meters, a grape variety that is disappearing in the Langa. It was my father Pasquale's favorite wine. I produce 4,000 bottles of it. We sell it well abroad, especially in Canada, where more and more curious consumers are interested in niche wines.

Finally, we have a "giornata" (Piedmontese measure for 3800 meters) of Favorita, again a grape variety that remains connected to my family's roots.