Brovia

VISIT THIS PRODUCER'S WEBSITE
VISIT IMPORTER'S WEBSITE
Country of Origin: Italy
Location: Castiglione Falletto, Piedmont
People: Brovia Family, Owners | Giacinto Brovia, Enologist
Viticulture: Practicing Organic

Items

Brovia 2022 Roero Arneis DOCG Login <1 Case
Brovia 2019 Barolo DOCG Login WA 95 In Stock
Brovia 2018 Barolo, Garblet Sue, DOCG Login WA 95 WE 97 Please inquire
Brovia 2018 Barolo, Rocche di Castiglione, DOCG Login WA 95 Please inquire

In 1863 Giacinto Brovia founded the Brovia estate in the village of Castiglione Falletto, in the heart of the Barolo district. The family has been continually engaged in the growing of grapes and the production of wine since that time. The phylloxera plague, economic upheaval and two wars interrupted production for almost 30 years but, in 1953, two brothers, Giacinto and Raffaele, grandchildren of the founder, resumed full-scale wine production. Giacinto, a trained enologist, was (and still is) responsible for the production of the wine while Raffaele, a trained agronomist, supervised the vineyard work. Sadly, Raffaele passed away in 2011 but two of Giacinto’s daughters, Cristina and Elena, are now completely engaged as the fourth generation, in the affairs of this family-run estate. Marina, Giacinto’s wife and mother of their children, is a brilliant cook and provider of wise counsel, and Alex Sanchez, husband of Elena, has joined the family enterprise.

The Brovias, from generation to generation, have been conscientious buyers of some of the finest vineyard sites in this noble zone, concentrating their efforts in their home village of Castiglione Falletto and the neighboring Serralunga d’Alba. Brovia owns land in a variety of the best "cru" of Piedmont such as Rocche, Villero and Garblét Sue, all in Castiglione Falletto, as well as Brea in Serralunga. These different vineyard plots represent a range of soil types, from heavier clay to friable limestone. The Brovias are extremely conscientious winegrowers and farm organically in every sense of that word (without being formally certified). They perform soil analyses every two years to ensure that the elements are in equilibrium; pruning is done to limit harvest levels; and grape clusters are thinned, when necessary, in the summer. Harvest is done entirely by hand and usually begins in late September with the Dolcetto, Arneis and Barbera; of course, the Nebbiolo ripens later, and harvest for the various Baroli occurs normally in mid-October.

The Brovia wines are vinified in the classic style. Grapes are lightly crushed before going into the fermentation tanks. The length of the fermentation period depends on the grape variety but the Nebbiolo for various Barolo cuvées can extend as long as a month or more at temperatures between 28 and 30 degrees Celsius. The Baroli are aged for at least two years in 30 hectoliter barrels of Slavonian and French oak. The wines are then bottled without filtration and released to the market after an additional 18 to 24 months of bottle-aging. The cuvées of Dolcetto and Barbera are handled differently, with the Dolcetto being aged exclusively in stainless steel tanks and the Barbera in stainless with a portion of the Serralunga-based wine in smaller barrels, with a portion going into French oak barrels for 9 - 10 months. The wines are bottled without filtration.

The Brovia estate encompasses 19.2 hectares with 55% of the production dedicated to Barolo, 25% in Dolcetto, 10% to Barbera and the remaining 10% produced from Arneis, Nebbiolo d’Alba and Freisa.

Reviews

  • Brovia 2018 Barolo, Garblet Sue, DOCG
    The Wine Advocate
    Rating: 95 (8/11/2022)

    The Brovia 2018 Barolo Garblèt Sue' reveals a fine texture with seamless aromas of purple and red forest fruits that appear delicately and softly. Those lifted primary notes are followed by a filigree of spice, tar, truffle and fragrant earth. The wine closes with a pretty floral note that is a mix of rose and violet. This is one of the most elegant wines of the vintage.
  • Brovia 2018 Barolo, Rocche di Castiglione, DOCG
    The Wine Advocate
    Rating: 95 (8/11/2022)

    Alex Sanchez makes memorable wines. His Brovia 2018 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione hits close to home, as this vineyard in Castiglione Falletto is especially elegant and well managed. The wine shows pinpoint precision with small berry nuances, wildflower and crushed stone. The mineral signature adds beautiful focus.
  • Brovia 2018 Barolo, Garblet Sue, DOCG
    Wine Enthusiast
    Rating: 97 (9/1/2022)

    Aromas of camphor, rose and violet mingle with woodland berry and forest floor on this fragrant, gorgeous wine. Full-bodied and all about elegance, the savory palate features strawberry compote, juicy red cherry and licorice alongside taut, refined tannins. Bright acidity keeps it vibrant and well balanced. Drink 2023-2030.
  • Brovia 2019 Barolo, Rocche di Castiglione, DOCG
    The Wine Advocate
    Rating: 97 (8/24/2023)

    Brovia hits it out of the ballpark with this set of wines from the 2019 vintage. The 2019 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione is a darker, broader expression that stands on its own thanks to that special intensity. This expression veers toward dark fruit and black cherry, and there is a lot of iron ore or rusty nail at the back. The wine is almost sanguine in character, but in a manner that enhances all the other beautiful characteristics on hand. The mouthfeel is slightly more open-knit and rich, making this a better pairing partner to hearty meat dishes.
  • Brovia 2019 Barolo, Brea - Vigna Ca'Mia, DOCG
    The Wine Advocate
    Rating: 98 (8/24/2023)

    With the cream-colored label, the 2019 Barolo Brea Vigna Ca' Mia is another standout wine from one of the most collectible producers in the appellation. The wine from vintners Elena Brovia and Alex Sanchez is especially sharp, focused and polished. You get a lot of satisfaction here and sophistication too, with an amazing sense of clarity and depth. Wild berry, cassis, blood orange, iris and campfire ash emerge from the bouquet. There is drying mineral on the silky close. This is one of my favorite wines of the vintage.
  • Brovia 2019 Barolo, Villero, DOCG
    The Wine Advocate
    Rating: 96 (8/24/2023)

    With fruit from one of the top growing sites in Castiglione Falletto, the 2019 Barolo Villero shows a slightly ripe and soft side with cherry and dried raspberry followed by licorice, tar and rusty metal. This is an elegant expression, with a terrific sense of focus, that delivers complexity and depth, especially in this excellent vintage.
  • Brovia 2019 Barolo DOCG
    The Wine Advocate
    Rating: 95 (8/24/2023)

    On a shortlist of "annata" wines to buy from Piedmont this year is the Brovia 2019 Barolo. Made from a blend of fruit from Castiglione Falletto and Serralunga d'Alba, this wine delivers a very sharp and chiseled performance that puts a priority on directness, freshness and length. This pretty wine has a pronounced fruity side and a mineral side, and these two parts converge beautifully. There are hints of dried mint and licorice on the close of this must-have wine.