Cascina Val Del Prete Serra di Gatti Barbera d'Alba 2024

Cascina Val del Prete is a highly regarded, organic and biodynamic certified winery located in the municipality of Priocca, in the heart of the Roero region of Piedmont, Italy. The name, meaning "Valley of the Priest," refers to the property's history, which included housing an exiled abbot in the 1800s. The estate has been in the hands of the Roagna family since 1977 when Bartolomeo Roagna purchased it from the de Grèsy family; it is now run by the third generation, Mario and his son Giovanni. 

The winemaking philosophy at Cascina Val del Prete is deeply non-interventionist, focused on natural agricultural practices and minimal intervention in the cellar to allow the wines to express the unique qualities of their sandy, steep Roero slopes. Since obtaining organic certification in 2013, the 10-hectare estate has embraced biodynamic farming principles, aiming for a self-sufficient agricultural organism with rich biodiversity, including hazelnut trees and woodland patches. All fermentations are carried out using native yeasts, and macerations can last for 25 to 30 days to extract maximum character, with aging taking place in both stainless steel tanks and large wood barrels. 

The winery produces a distinctive range of wines from traditional Piedmontese grape varieties, including the white Roero Arneis "Luèt" and a variety of reds such as Barbera d'Alba "Serra de' Gatti," Nebbiolo d'Alba, and their flagship Roero DOCG "Bricco Medica". These wines are celebrated for their elegance, vibrant acidity, and intense aromatic complexity, often showing notes of violet, cherry, and characteristic minerality, and are known to be particularly food-friendly.