Produttori di Carema

The Cantina dei Produttori Nebbiolo di Carema was started in 1960 by a group of 10 resident winegrowers, and throughout its history it has always emerged as a shining example of a wine cooperative of remarkable quality. The comparison, to stay on the varietal thread, should be made with the Cantina dei Produttori del Barbaresco, referred to by many insiders as the best social winery in Europe, if not beyond. The history of Carema has deep roots that cross centuries, if already in 1539 it was listed in an oenological guide compiled by Pope Paul III Farnese's bottigliere, in which it was described as a perfect drink for princes and lords. Also during the 16th century, the treatise "De vinis Italiae" mentioned this red wine served at the tables of popes and the Dukes of Savoy, or as a roasting wine for the royals of France. The best known contemporary citations certainly go to Mario Soldati, who dedicates precisely one of his stories to this area that makes its isolation its strength and ability to preserve ancient and original traditions and tastes.

Produttori di Carema is a sign that to date has about 101 members, of which 71 are grape contributors and all part-time producers, with an average age of around 55. Carema represents the northern tip of Canavese, the wine-growing region under Turin, and is the epitome of heroic mountain viticulture. The corresponding territory is microscopic, spread over just 13 hectares and the only connecting passage between the Piedmont and Aosta Valley regions: the vineyards look down on the course of the Dora Baltea river from the heights of vertiginous slopes, planted in the fertile moraine soil transported from the valley floor within terraces carved into the rock and contained by centuries-old dry-stone walls. At altitudes as high as 650 meters above sea level, stone and lime pillars rise from these steps above which rest the trellises that support the vines: a sort of pergola that takes the name here of "tòpia" and also serves as a reserve of heat during the night hours. The insistent daytime sunlight somewhat compensates for the harsh temperatures of the colder seasons.

The Cantina dei Produttori Nebbiolo di Carema Winery operates within an area recognized as a Slow Food Presidium since 2014, with the aim of helping to safeguard a unique rural landscape and traditional wine. Carema and Carema Riserva, elevated to DOC status in 1967, are vinified with essentially manual labor, in steel or cement tanks. The aging period extends for 24 and 36 months respectively, 12 of which in large wooden barrels for the Riserva.