Region | Piemonte (Italia) |
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Address | Castellinaldo d'Alba (CN) |
Oenologist | Alessandro Salvano |
The Drink Wines Not Labels project, sometimes abbreviated as "dwnl", stems from the dream of young Alessandro Salvano, a producer who officially embarked on this adventure in 2019 with the aim of offering wines free from any recognized brand that promote the idea of enjoying a bottle of wine without paying attention to the name on the label. Before the dwnl project, Alessandro studied at the oenological school of Alba and then worked in several important wineries in Piedmont. Without owning family vineyards or having a lot of money to invest, the producer decided to directly purchase the grapes to give life to his own idea of wine. The grapes indeed come from a collaboration with his uncle Giorgio Sobrero, a well-known producer from the Montelupo Albese area, located near the border with the renowned wine-producing town of Serralunga d'Alba, who provides some of his grapes to his nephew. Also for the winemaking process, Alessandro relies on his uncle's winery, as well as on that of Bruna Grimaldi, the latter located in the municipality of Grinzane Cavour. Recently, the producer managed to buy his first owned vineyards, which once belonged to his grandfather and are located right next to those of his uncle.
The varieties worked by Alessandro Salvano of Drink Wines Not Labels include those traditional to the Lower Piedmont, such as Nebbiolo and Dolcetto, accompanied by the popular international grape variety Chardonnay. The grapes come from sustainable agriculture, and in the cellar, Alessandro follows a non-interventionist approach inspired by the great Burgundies. For this reason, fermentations are entrusted to indigenous yeasts and strictly carried out with whole clusters, mostly in stainless steel tanks, with a total absence of filtration or clarification.
The production of the Drink Wines Not Labels reality focuses entirely on the pleasantness and dynamism of drinking, fundamental qualities for Alessandro Salvano. In addition to the classic labels obtained from traditional and non-traditional grape varieties, Alessandro also produces a delicious vermouth through the infusion of medicinal herbs and spices in a solution of red wine, alcohol, and sugar, following a traditional Piedmontese recipe.