​The great producers of Italian wine: interview with ... Arturo Verrotti di Pianella, Rizieri winery

The Rizieri winery, the protagonist of our article, operates here. For our readers and for all wine enthusiasts we had the pleasure of interviewing its owner: Arturo Verrotti di Pianella.

1 – Welcome back Arturo, introduce yourself to our readers ...

My name is Arturo Verrotti di Pianella and I would like to introduce you to the family-run Rizieri winery of which I am the owner. We are located in the heart of the Langhe, in Diano d'Alba which is one of the 11 municipalities of the Barolo area.

We cultivate 7.5 HA of owned vineyards: 6.5 HA (cultivated with Arneis, Dolcetto, Barbera, Merlot, Nebbiolo) surround the nineteenth-century farmhouse, renovated about ten years ago, and the eco-friendly cellar recently built in Diano D'Alba; the remaining hectare is located in the municipality of La Morra, in the province of Cuneo.

2 – How did you approach the world of wine?

For me, wine is not a family tradition, but a passion that I cultivated for many years before turning it into a full-time work reality.

3 – Did you do anything else before wine? Have you had other professions? And are there any similarities to your current role?

Before doing this profession I worked in a university setting. I carried out research in the field of molecular biology and taught in the Faculties of Medicine and Biotechnological Sciences. I can say that my biological and biochemical background has helped me a lot to learn more about our wines, in an era in which winemaking tradition is combined daily with research and technological innovation.

4 – What are the advantages of your profession? And what is less pleasant?

Producing wines, for me, means many things: living in an enchanting context in close contact with those seductive and tenacious plants that are the vines; take care of these plants for an entire year, from winter pruning to harvesting the bunches; walk between the rows to make sure the growth is healthy and vigorous; follow the evolution of each individual wine in steel tanks and/or oak barrels, to obtain, with patience and perseverance, unique tastes and flavours.

However, moments of crisis that force me to review aspirations and programs are not pleasant. The Covid-19 pandemic, for example, has forced me and many other producers to reconsider strategies and ambitions, slowing down the growth of recent years which, especially for small wineries, has meant reductions in sales and, consequently, heavy losses on an economic level.

5 – What do you like most about your winery?

The attention and daily commitment we put into respecting nature and creating quality products.

In the vineyard we strictly follow the principles of integrated agriculture dictated by the protocol of the Piedmont Region. We have completely banned herbicides. Between the rows we sow barley and legumes which naturally enrich the soil and nourish the vines. Furthermore, 6.5 hectares of forest surround our vineyards creating an ideal microclimate.

In the cellar, as in the vineyard, we reduce our intervention to a minimum to allow each wine to freely express character and personality, becoming the faithful reflection of the grapes of origin and its terroir.

The photovoltaic system, present on the roof of the cellar, produces clean electricity with the aim of reducing environmental impact and maximizing energy savings.

6 - A song, a character, a film, an opera etc. etc. with which to describe or compare your winery and your philosophy?

One film in particular: “A Good Year” by Ridley Scott with Russell Crowe, Marion Cotillard and Albert Finney. The film is set in Provence, in the south of France, and tells the story of a cynical English banker who, due to a series of fortuitous circumstances, will leave his job in London to change perspective and dedicate himself full time to running a winery.

I don't identify with the life of the protagonist, my background and my personality are very different, but the atmospheres and emotions that can be felt in the film are inebriating and engaging, as are the aromas and perfumes that emanate from a glass of good wine.

7 – What is your favorite wine from your production? And why?

Given that every wine we produce is the fruit of our passion, I love the Nebbiolo grape and the wines that derive from it. Our Nebbiolo d'Alba DOC and Barolo DOCG have resilience, tenacity, aging capacity and wisdom.

8 – You have to convince an enthusiast to buy your wines. What would you tell him?

First of all, I would invite him to come and visit us in the cellar to taste our wines and I would explain to him that ours wines are natural wines (for example, the quantity of sulphites they contain is very low, comparable to that of certified organic wines) and the result of great commitment and passion.

9 – Your own wine and a dish...

Living in the Langhe, I think of the white truffle and all the dishes with this tuber. Barbera Superiore, Nebbiolo or Barolo are perfect with these dishes.

10 – What are your dreams, desires or expectations for the future?

My dream is to continue producing wines with passion, expanding the winery's range. Already this year a new wine has been released that I am very proud of: Langhe Merlot 2019. It is a 100% Merlot that ages in French oak tonneaux barrels for 8 months. Production is only about a thousand bottles per year.

As an expectation for the future, I hope that our wines obtain excellent reviews from the various Italian and international guides to which we send tasting samples every year.

Rizieri wines are on sale online, EXCLUSIVELY and AT CELLAR PRICE, on Wineshop.it!