History-soaked Italian wines

Borgogno

The history of Borgogno estate in the town of Barolo is an important fabric weaved into the rich tapestry of Italian wine history and the country itself. At one point in time it even crossed path with Bettio Ricasoli, the Iron Baron, of Ricasoli winery.

Founded in 1761 by Bartolomeo Borgogno, the winery is among the oldest in Piedmont. After his death in 1794, one of his four sons, Giacomo, took over and together with Bartolomeo’s nephew Eugenio Giuseppe, they started larger production. It became the supplier of the boarding school for the sons of the officials of the House of Savoy army in Racconigi in 1848.

In 1861 as Italy was freshly unified under the Iron Baron, Bettino Ricasoli, it was chosen for the official dinner celebration of the Italian Unification.

At the turn of the 20th century in 1908, its glory continued when its Barolo was served at the banquet held in honor of the Russian Czar Nicola II Romanov on his official visit to Racconigi Castel.

Today the winery is known for its age-worthy Barolos and Reservas that have been meticulously tucked away in its old cellar for decades before consumpion. But it was Cesare Borgogno, the youngest son of Giacomo Borgogno, who first came up with the idea.

He took over management of the winery, changing its fortunes, revamping and restoring the winery and expanding its international market. But among all things, he decided to put aside about 20% of Barolo greatest vintages bottles in order to let them aged in the cellar for 20 years and more.

Its wine was so sought-after that a bottle of 1886 vintage Borgogno Barolo went under the hammer at the historical wine auction held in Turin for the sum of 530,000 lira. An absolute record for the time and the highest figure ever reached by any Italian wine.

In 2008, the Farinetti family acquires the winery, expanding their Italian wine empire. In 2010, Andrea Farinetti, after graduating from the oenological school in Alba, takes over the company’s leadership as heir to carry on the estate’s illuminous legacy.

Under Andrea Farinetti’s leadership, organic conversion was initiated and the winery began using only cement vats for fermentation, a return to the original winemaking style.

All the wines are made at the estate’s winemaking facility in Barolo village in an underground network of historic fermentation and aging rooms.