Le Marie
Le Marie is a small family winery worked by owners Valerio Raviolo and his wife, Luigina, alongside both of their children, Daniele and Simona, who are in the process of taking over from their parents. The winery and cellar are located in San Pietro d'Assarti in the municipality of Barge, an ancient village at the foot of Monte Viso, the highest mountain in the Cottian Alps in southwest Piemonte near the French border. Wines from this area fall under the DOC of Pinerolese, which might not be so well known today, but this was not always the case. In the middle ages, the wines of Monte Viso and Monte Bracco were documented for their quality by none less than Leonardo da Vinci as far back as 1511. There is even documentation from 1203 that testifies to the merit and fame of the region's wine. Today, the family is passionately committed to sustaining a wine-growing tradition made nearly extinct by years of disease, war, economic constraints, and political pressures. The Raviolo's organically farm 9.5ha of vineyards scattered over 14 plots at an elevation of 400-450m. Soils here are red clay on schist, which is rich in rare and precious minerals. The low pH of the soils and the marginal climate cause stress to the vines, and the results are remarkable; fresh and bright flavors, unique and unlike any other wines found in Piemonte. In addition to the classic Piemontese varieties of Nebbiolo, Barbera, Dolcetto, Freisa, Bonarda, and Arneis, the family grows a handful of unusual, local varieties such as Chatus, Neretta Cuneese, and Malvasia Moscata, an ancient and rare white grape vastly different from the Moscato grown in Asti. The oldest vines were planted in the 1930s, and what the family farms today are all that remains after numerous battles fought in the region during WWII wiped out most of the vineyards. These are authentic wines made in a minimal style with respect for tradition and the territory's incredibly long history of viticulture.
