Rocche dei Manzoni

In 1974, Valentino Migliorini, who, along with his wife, was already the owner and promoter of a Michelin-starred restaurant, decided to buy a farmhouse in Monforte d'Alba in the Langhe. Working with the strength of his winemaking experience and his innate ability to stay ahead of the times, in 1976, Valentino created the first Langhe blended wine: Bricco Manzoni, a blend of Nebbiolo and Barbera grapes. But he decided to go even further and, a couple of years later, in 1978, he began producing sparkling wine using the traditional method and introduced the use of small oak barrels for the aging of red wines. Migliorini was the first to import the small oak barrels to the Langhe, and in a short time these numbered 300 units.

By 1982 the small oak barrels were used for all vinification and, in 1999, the first 10-year reserve Barolo was produced. Experimentation has marked the entire production of Rocche dei Manzoni and, together with attention to detail, it has led the winery to become a great interpreter of Piedmontese red wines and opened the way for the traditional method of sparkling wine production in the Langhe. It would take other producers more than thirty years to try their hand at sparkling wine production.