Cascina delle Rose
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Country of Origin: Italy
Location: Tre Stelle, Barbaresco
People: Giovanna Rizzolio & Italo Sobrino, Owners | Brothers Riccardo & Davide Sobrino, Winemakers
Viticulture: Certified Organic
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Cascina delle Rose is a small Barbaresco estate long celebrated for wines of finesse, elegance, and purity. Founded by the pioneering Giovanna Rizzolio in 1992, the estate has been guided by her sons Riccardo and Davide since 2017, who bring complementary energy and vision. Together, they have elevated the family’s name as a benchmark producer of cru-driven, certified organic Barbaresco.
Family History
The Rizzolio family has stewarded Cascina delle Rose since 1948, when Giovanna’s grandparents, Beatrice and Ferdinando, purchased the farmhouse and its surrounding vineyards. They were drawn to the rolling hills of the Rio Sordo Valley, framed by castles stretching from La Morra to Asti and the distant peaks of the Alps.
In its early days, the estate functioned as a true farmhouse, complete with granary, stables, and a cellar beneath the family home. Grapes were vinified and bottled for family use and for friends. Remarkably, bottles from the early 1950s still rest in the cellar today. Giovanna moved to the property in the 1980s and, in 1992, purchased it outright from her extended family. That same year she produced her first official vintage, officially beginning Cascina delle Rose’s modern chapter.
From the beginning, Giovanna stood apart as a pioneer. She farmed organically from the start, eschewing chemical inputs in both vineyard and cellar long before such practices became common. She also helped shape wine tourism in the region by opening Barbaresco’s first licensed agriturismo, welcoming visitors to experience the estate’s vineyards, wines, and hospitality.
Crus
When the Rizzolio family purchased the estate in 1948, it included a large portion of the renowned Rio Sordo cru. In 2006, official delimitations split Rio Sordo into two crus: Rio Sordo and Tre Stelle. Giovanna was instrumental in securing Tre Stelle’s recognition as an MGA (Menzione Geografica Aggiuntiva), highlighting the distinctiveness of the site.
Rio Sordo and Tre Stelle are neighboring crus and are often cited as producing some of the lightest and earliest-maturing Barbaresco wines. Their soils, of marine origin from the Tertiary era, are characterized by bluish marls and a calcareous structure, with dense, mineral-rich stratification and natural springs. In fact, the underground cellar at Cascina delle Rose dramatically reveals these layers. Despite their proximity, the two crus show distinct personalities. Tre Stelle has a thinner topsoil, with vines rooted almost directly into limestone, yielding wines that are taut, lithe, and precise. Rio Sordo, by contrast, holds about a meter of topsoil above its limestone base, giving the vines greater vigor and producing wines that are broader, fuller, and more generous in body.
In 2018, the family acquired part of the Marcorino cru in Neive planted to Nebbiolo and a small plot of Arneis. With sandier soils, Marcorino produces open, aromatic wines that contrast with the clay- and limestone-based expressions of Tre Stelle and Rio Sordo. Beginning with the 2021 vintage, Cascina delle Rose now bottles all three crus separately. Today the estate encompasses 6.5 hectares, with 5.5 under vine and the remainder to hazelnuts and forest. All vineyards are certified organic. Total production is approximately 30,000 bottles per year.
Winemaking
Respect for nature and site defines the family’s approach. Harvest is manual, with grapes collected in small crates, gently destemmed, and fermented parcel by parcel in stainless steel without temperature control. Macerations vary by vintage, but transparency of terroir remains the guiding principle. The Dolcetto d’Alba and Langhe Nebbiolo mature in stainless steel and concrete. The Barbera and Barbaresco mature in large, neutral Slavonian oak casks. Wines are neither fined nor filtered. The addition of sulfites is minimal (20–50 mg/L), and malolactic fermentation occurs naturally at controlled temperatures. The results are precise, elegant wines that capture the nuance of each cru.
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Not Drinking Poison in Paris: n.d.p. in Piemonte - Cascina delle Rose, Barbaresco