Solo Vino - Vignaioli in Movimento.
Enrico, Luca, and Alberto are the driving forces behind SoloRoero, a collective winemaking project rooted in the Roero region.
Taking place in a illuminated communal hall in the village of Santo Stefano Roero show casing the region’s identity, Their focus is on vinifying only the most emblematic local varieties—Arneis and Nebbiolo —celebrating them in their purest form with minimum intervention in the vineyard , and in the cellar. A pretty cool , local and friendly fair , a lot of people visiting for the day from around Piedmont , its was a pretty busy event when i rocked up late after spending the morning at the egyptian muesuem in Turin in the morning.
Piedmont is the playground for wine lovers, and Roero Tucked in the hilly northwest near Alba, Italy, this pint-sized DOCG zone is where Nebbiolo—the Barolo grape. It was mentioned as early as the 1200s in historical documents from Piedmont, making it one of Italy’s oldest cultivated grape varieties
Roero’s just a quick car ride from Turin, it’s best hiring a car at Turin Airport if you flying in there or Milan is only 1 hour away.
Nebbiolo, a highly expressive and versatile grape, is grown throughout Piedmont and beyond, offering a range of styles depending on the region. Roero (DOCG) produces Nebbiolo wines with softer tannins and more aromatic profiles, often showcasing floral and fruity notes that make them more approachable in their youth compared to the more robust Barolo and Barbaresco. In areas like Langhe, Roero, and Nebbiolo d’Alba (DOC or DOCG), looser production rules and shorter aging periods of 1–2 years result in lighter-bodied, early-drinking wines. Meanwhile, Barolo (DOCG) has to adheres to strict regulations and must come from one of 11 designated communes, including Barolo, La Morra, and Serralunga d’Alba. Barolo requires a minimum aging of 38 months, with at least 18 in wood, and its Riserva version demands 62 months, resulting in powerful, age-worthy wines. While some international producers have experimented with Nebbiolo. its not really worked out.
Great food on offer , Plin , Vilettoe Tonnato , Focaccia , and cheese and salamis , Food’s always solid when it comes from local trattoria , — especially with plin (those tiny Piedmontese ravioli, usually stuffed with pork or beef, and served with truffles in autumn). The cheeses and salamis? Always top-notch. Honestly, Italy is just consistently great for food — I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad meal there. Maybe once in decades.
Natural wine events in Italy all kind of follow the same formula — but in a good way. Everything’s local, organic, seasonal, and just really high quality. Not like in France, where it’s always pulled pork burgers, oysters, tacos, bánh mì, “artisan” pizzas, mini Ethiopian coffees… the same stuff everywhere. Throw in a tarte flambée stall if you’re in Alsace, and that’s the full set.
What’s amazing in Italy is how local everything is — not just the food, but the wine too. Super regional grapes. It’s easy if you’re based in Piedmont: amazing grapes and wines everywhere. Tommaso di Cappo, for example, only grows and makes Dolcetto — kind of an underdog grape, but in the right hands, it’s brilliant. Then there’s Valfaccenda, who works only with Nebbiolo — whether or not it’s labeled as Barolo — and Arneis from different vintages. Really lovely stuff.
This Barolo Opposite is well nice , not to much tannins , very drinkable , nutty , smooth and pretty earthy , for the price , if your looking for a natural Barolo that won’t break the bank this is it..should cost you 45-50 Euros or 450 USD if your in NYC.
Podere Magia , Stefano Pescarmona
I was fortunate enough to taste Stefanos wines at La dive in February ,and again here in Roero, based in Val d’Enza, Emilia-Romagna, where he established his own farm. Here, he cultivated vineyards biodynamically , all pet nat style wines , Hit for me was the Malvasia dell’Emilia. Also making Lambrusco , not the Lambrusco that would be pulled out on special occasions in the UK in the 80’s , nice not too fizzy , fruity , herby , light tannins.
Tommaso Cappa / Valdibà in Dogliani
Tommaso Cappa is a true gem in the world of wine. With just one hectare of vineyard devoted to Dolcetto, he embraces a biodynamic philosophy and has ventured into innovative viticultural practices, culminating in the release of his first Dogliani in the 2021 vintage.
Valdisole
Hit of the day a stunning Elektra from Corneliano d’Alba, Roman biologist Giuseppe Amato, an expert in tropical fish, teamed up with Kyriaki Kalimeri, a Greek engineer and wine enthusiast, to establish the Valdisole winery.
About Roero
Roero’s got a fun backstory—Pre-Roman Times: The Roero region was inhabited by Ligurian and Celtic tribes before the Romans conquered the area, bringing viticulture and agriculture. The Celts were skilled in agriculture and likely adopted viticultural practices from the Etruscans and Greeks, who had already introduced wine to the Italian peninsula , The Celts were the first to use of wooden barrels for storage and transportation became a staple of winemaking and was later perfected by the Romans and, much later, by French and Italian winemakers.
The area became a patchwork of feudal estates. It takes its name from the noble Roero family, who held significant power and influence in the region from the 14th century onwards. They built castles and fortresses, many of which still stand today.
It’s part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "The Vineyard Landscape of Piedmont: Langhe-Roero and Monferrato,"
Today, there are twenty Roero family squads still hanging out. The dirt here? It’s a sandy dance floor with clay and limestone crashing the party, making the wines totally pop. The rulebook says red Roero wines need 95 percent Nebbiolo to join the club, while the whites get flirty with at least 95 percent Arneis—a zippy grape that’s like sunshine in a glass.
The 20th century saw a revival of Arneis, often called the "white Barolo," after nearly disappearing.
Solo Roero Crew
This year, Solo Vino aimed to highlight the journeys of wine industry men and women who have ventured far and wide in pursuit of their craft. Hosted by the SoloRoero collective, the fair-market embraced the theme “Winemakers in Motion,” showcasing 27 “migrant” companies.
Since September 2023, Santo Stefano Roero has welcomed 50 young asylum seekers to its 1,340-strong community through the Extraordinary Reception Center (CAS), housed in the former “San Giuseppe Lavoratore” retirement home. Yesterday, they helped set up the event. Mayor Giuseppina Faccio noted, “We turned the CAS opening into an opportunity, working with others to foster positivity. Locals have warmly included newcomers in schools, community tasks, and Italian lessons.” Her remarks sparked a moving discussion on hospitality, showing how these residents are finding their footing over the past year.
Beneath the Palaroero’s vast roof, a diverse array of winemakers gathered. Sean O’Callaghan journeyed from Sri Lanka to Tuscany to create wine, while Tommaso Cappa and Agnese Caprioli traded Turin’s city life in 2020 for a Dolcetto and Barbera vineyard in Dogliani. Naples natives Gabriele Buondonno and Valeria Sodano turned their college dreams of rural life into a pioneering organic winery in Chianti.
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Walking Around , great place to walk around , there are well mapped out and signed areas in which to hike , and stroll from one town to the next , tasting on the way , what’s not to like.
Roero Tour del Vino 1: Canale - Val d'Oisa
This 8.5-mile (approximately 13.7 km) loop trail near Canale is moderately challenging and typically takes around 3 hours and 43 minutes to complete. The path winds through vineyards and offers scenic views of the Roero landscape.Detailed information and maps are available on AllTrails.
Getting There and About.
Turin Airport ( Ryanair fly to a lot of European destinations for pretty cheap ) a small but well served airport.
Milan Airport ( Better for intercontinental flights to US for example ).
