2024 Montaribaldi Stissa d'le Favole Langhe Chardonnay

Montaribaldi makes Vineyard wines, as they say, meaning that the wine should be "made" in the vineyard, not through all sorts of tinkering in the winery. A beautiful terroir, quality over quantity, old vineyards, low planting density, and deliberately low yields are principles Montaribaldi applies to obtain superb grapes, making fine wine a breeze.

The Langhe Chardonnay DOC Stissa d'le Favole is a white wine made from 100% Chardonnay grapes from a vineyard located in the municipality of Alba at an altitude of 200 meters. The vineyard is almost 50 years old and has the typical Piedmontese terroir of limestone, marl, and fine sand. The Chardonnay grapes are harvested between late August and early September. Once in the winery, the grapes are destemmed, crushed, and cooled (temperature 10-13°C). They are then lightly pressed in a pneumatic press to separate the skins from the must. This is done extremely gently (soft crush) so that only the pure juice is released. The must is then left to rest for a few days in stainless steel tanks, thermo-conditioned (13°C), to separate the cloudy matter. The clear must undergoes alcoholic fermentation at a temperature of 15-18°C for approximately ten days. Then, 25% of the Chardonnay is placed in new barriques (225L) with regular battonage to maintain contact with its lees. The remaining 75% is also in constant contact with the lees, but in stainless steel tanks. Finally, after about eight months, the wine is blended and bottled. The Langhe Chardonnay DOC Stissa d'le Favole then remains in the Montaribadi cellars for a further period of aging before being released.

This is a beautiful Chardonnay. The combination of oak and stainless steel makes the wine fresh and rich, with notes reminiscent of its oak aging. The Langhe Chardonnay DOC Stissa d'le Favole is just like a Chardonnay should taste: elegant, fresh, aromatic, and fruity. In the glass, the wine has a straw-yellow color with green highlights. On the nose, it is intense with notes of tropical fruit (particularly banana and pineapple), along with vanilla and toasted aromas (bread, nuts) from its oak aging. This wine is perfect as an aperitif and with delicious fish dishes such as grilled sea bream and scampi.

The Montaribaldi winery is a historically family-owned winery, nestled in the heart of the Langhe hills in the small village of Barbaresco. Montaribaldi's grapes grow among the vineyards of Angelo Gaja's famous winery. They're certainly not the least fortunate neighbors. The owners of the Montaribaldi winery, brothers Luciano and Roberto Taliano, are fortunate to have their plots of land scattered throughout the Langhe and Monferrato hills. Wine has been produced here for centuries, and even UNESCO has recognized the interplay of man and nature by recently including this region on its prestigious World Heritage List. Although the Montaribaldi winery has existed for much longer, the brothers have been in the wine business relatively recently, having been in business since 1994. However, together with winemaker Carlo Arnulfo, they are already producing exquisite Piedmont wines with excellent value. Montaribaldi makes true terroir wines, where the soil, the climate, and the vines form the foundation. Good wine comes from a good, healthy vineyard and not from a chemistry box, is Luciano's statement, and we fully agree with him.

The family produces some of the most famous wines from the Piedmont region: Barbaresco DOCG, Barolo DOCG, Barbera d'Alba DOC, Barbera d'Asti DOCG, and Roero Arneis. They offer a complete range of wines made from grapes typical of this region. A key characteristic of this winery is that the wines originate in Piedmont, are always recognizable as "Montaribaldi" wines, and are sustainably grown and produced. As they call it, making "vineyard wines" sets them apart.

FACT : In the "Tab: Attachment" you'll find the official fact sheet for this fine wine. We'll automatically send it to you when you order this wine. The wine is stored in our climate-controlled Wine Warehouse, and if you pick it up, you'll often receive a nice discount. We're located almost next to the Rijksweg with ample parking. Click here for the address.