26 / 137
WINES OF NORTHERN ITALY
19
Monchiero Carbone
Located in Canale, in the heart of the Roero DOCG in Langhe, the Monchiero Carbone winery
was established in 1990 with the goal of reuniting vineyards owned by two branches of a family
(Monchiero and Carbone) with winemaking tradition dating back to 1918. Today it is owned and
operated by husband and wife, Francesco and Lucrezia Monchiero, who specialize in creating Arneis
from the best vineyards in the Roero zone. On the label, as a constant reminder of their family’s
history in the area and the traditions they seek to uphold, the Monchieros have added the phrase
(from local dialect) “Ogni uss a l’ha so tanbuss”—“Every door has its knocker.”
The inspiration behind the Monchiero Carbone winery can be traced back to the generations of both
families who earned their livelihood as vine growers. On the Monchiero side, maternal grandmother,
Clotilde Valente, used her wedding dowry to purchase the Monbirone vineyard, dedicating her life
to harvesting its vines. In the early 1900s, Enrico Carbone (nicknamed Ricù) married Lucia Gioetti,
the beautiful daughter of a wealthy tenant farmer. Known as “the blonde,” Lucia brought with her a
dowry that was also used to purchase land. Ricù immediately planted a vineyard of Arneis on the
plot acquired on Tanon hill (Tanùn in the local dialect), and began to produce a sweet white wine
often served on celebratory occasions. While they are not the only events leading to the creation of
Monchiero Carbone, they are the most significant turning points in the family history.
“ReCit” Arneis Roero DOCG
Native to the Roero, where it has been grown since the 16th century, Arneis is one of Piemonte’s oldest
white grape cultivars. This particular bottling is called “ReCit” which means “little King” in the local
dialect, and the Monchiero family believe that royalty is exactly what Arneis represents in the context of
native Italian varieties.
“Cecu d’la Biunda” Arneis Roero DOCG
Dedicated to Grandfather Francesco Carbone (better known as “Cecu d’la Biunda or “son of the
blonde woman” in the local dialect), grapes for this wine are grown on the soft, limey soils of the hills
surrounding the Vezza Valley. Here the slopes act as a buttress against the Rocche of Canale on the
celebrated Renesio hill (where this particular white variety is said to have once been known as the
“white Nebbiolo” in an effort to underline its quality and importance).
“Pelisa” Barbera d’Alba DOC
100% Barbera. Made from the estate’s younger vineyards, the Pelisa comes from younger vines in the
Canale and Priocca areas within the Roero zone.