Montalbera "La Tradizione" Ruchè '22

Ruchè (pronounced “roo-kay” in English) is a dark-skinned red wine grape primarily found in Piedmont, Italy, where it has been grown for more than a century, though the wines were not consumed outside Italy until the late 20th century. Seven communes in the province of Asti produce Ruchè, and Castagnole Monferrato, in the Piedmont countryside, where the Montalbera Ruchè originates, is among them. Only about 50 hectares of the grapes are planted in these communes, which naturally limits production.

The Montalbera winery was founded in the mid-1980 by the Morando family. Enrico Riccardo Morando, the founder, was originally from Langhe, and the Morando family has expanded its property, planting native grapevines, mostly Ruchè along with Barbera d’Asti, Moscato, and Grignolino. Montalbera has vineyards on the hillsides of Monferrato and Langhe, providing the vines with various sun exposures and microclimates, with a soil structure that is characterized by silty-loam with calcium carbonate.

The fruit for the Montalbera “La Tradizione” Ruchè wine is harvested by hand and vinified and matured in stainless steel tanks.

This is the ultimate Piemontese summer red, with bright red fruit aromas and flavors, spice notes, and a vibrant, juicy finish. Lightly chill it and bring it to your next BBQ.