A Continuous Exploration
Casè is the artisanal natural wine estate of Alberto Anguissola and Diego Ragazzi, founded in 1998 in the hills of the Val Trebbia, near Travo, in the southwestern part of the province of Piacenza. Perched at 550–600 meters above sea level on a south-facing steep slope with clay soils and limestone inserts, the estate spans approximately 4 hectares of organically certified vineyards. Alberto — a man of strong character who left his company job in 2012 to dedicate himself entirely to wine — has spent decades in dialogue with Giulio Armani of La Stoppa and Denavolo, who first opened his eyes to the world of natural wine in the early 1990s. All wines are hand-harvested with selective bunch removal, spontaneously fermented with indigenous yeasts, and bottled with no added sulfites. The portfolio is built around Pinot Nero — planted on Burgundian clones at low productivity — alongside Barbera, Bonarda, and a quartet of white varieties that produce distinctive macerated and still whites. These are wines of exploration, sincerity, and openness to the future.
From Corporate Life to the Vine
Alberto Anguissola is not a career winemaker in the conventional sense — he is a man who chose to leave one life for another. Born with a strong character and an unyielding passion for wine, Alberto spent years in the corporate world before making the leap that would define his life. In the early 1990s, he met Giulio Armani — the legendary winemaker of La Stoppa and Denavolo — and through the simple act of drinking wine together, Giulio opened Alberto's eyes to a world of possibility. "He has spread his insights about wine through drinking wine with Giulio," as one account puts it. This was not formal education; it was transmission — the passing of knowledge from one passionate practitioner to another over bottles shared in the Val Trebbia.
From 2000, Alberto began making wine at La Stoppa's cellar as a part-time farmer, learning the craft from the master himself while still maintaining his corporate career. But the pull of the vineyard grew stronger. In 2012, he made the decisive choice: he quit his company job to live entirely by winemaking — to follow the passion that had been building for two decades. "A man of strong character is realizing the dream of his life," wrote the Gazzetta di Parma of Alberto. This is the spirit that animates Casè — not a business venture, but a life's work, a continuous exploration, a sincere and open approach to the future.
The estate was founded in 1998, when Alberto planted the first vineyards on the hills of the Val Trebbia at Casal Pozzino, near Travo. The initial planting was modest — just 3,200 square meters — but by 2000, an additional 7,500 square meters were cultivated, and the winery began to take shape. Today, Casè is a thriving artisanal estate known for its distinctive and unique wines, with Alberto joined by his partner Diego Ragazzi in the daily work of vineyard and cellar. The property is a place of extraordinary natural beauty, surrounded by the Apennine foothills, with views that stretch across the valley and a silence broken only by the breeze that blows up from the Trebbia river below.
Alberto and Diego are described by those who know them as being like their wines: "sincere and open to the future." They are not bound by preconception — every vintage is a discovery, every bottle an exploration. "Wines made with the passion and curiosity of those who understand production not as a way to make money but as a continuous exploration," wrote one visitor. "The wines are a discovery with every bottle, every preconception is banned." This is the Casè philosophy in a sentence: wine as exploration, not product; as dialogue, not monologue; as a sincere expression of place, vintage, and the hands that made it.
"Wines made with the passion and curiosity of those who understand production not as a way to make money but as a continuous exploration. The wines are a discovery with every bottle, every preconception is banned. And Alberto and Diego are like their wines: sincere and open to the future."
— Gennaro Pepe, Visitor Review, June 2022
Val Trebbia at 550–600m
Casè's vineyards are located at Casal Pozzino, near Travo, in the southwestern part of the province of Piacenza, overlooking the Italian Apennines. The estate sits at 550–600 meters above sea level on a south-facing steep slope — a position of extraordinary advantage. The elevation provides cool nights that preserve acidity and structure, while the southern exposure ensures maximum sun penetration for phenolic ripeness. The cool breeze that blows up from the Val Trebbia valley below creates a natural ventilation system that keeps the vines healthy, reducing fungal pressure and allowing for minimal intervention. The result is a microclimate of distinct character: warm days, cool nights, constant air movement, and a diurnal temperature shift that gives grapes of both ripeness and freshness.
The soils are a complex mix of clay and limestone — clay compositions with limestone inserts that increase with the heightening of the hill, up to 560 meters of altitude. This is not uniform terroir; it is a mosaic. The clay provides water retention and fertility, while the limestone inserts contribute mineral complexity, drainage, and the structural backbone that defines Casè's wines. As you approach the hill's edge, the clay content increases and the limestone becomes more pronounced, resulting in fewer but more concentrated grapes that exhibit rich mineral aromas. The steep slope demands manual cultivation — there is no mechanization here, only hands, tools, and the slow, patient work of mountain viticulture.
Farming is certified organic, with a deep commitment to biodiversity and ecosystem health. No synthetic chemistry is used in the vineyard — no herbicides, no pesticides, no industrial fertilizers. Instead, the vineyard is managed as a living system: vines coexist with field herbs, insects, and small animals. The grass is allowed to grow between rows, creating a habitat for beneficial organisms and a natural competition that stresses the vines into producing more concentrated fruit. Treatments are limited to minimal amounts of sulfur and copper for dusting — the traditional tools of organic viticulture, used sparingly and only when necessary. The harvest is entirely manual, with selective removal of unripe or damaged bunches, ensuring that only the healthiest, most mature grapes reach the cellar.
The grape varieties reflect both Alberto's fascination with Pinot Nero and his commitment to local tradition. Pinot Nero is planted on Burgundian clones selected for low productivity — clones like the 115, which produce small berries of extraordinary concentration. This is not an easy grape for the Colli Piacentini; it is a challenge that Alberto has embraced with characteristic determination. Barbera and Bonarda (Croatina) provide the red wine backbone — the classic varieties of the region, adapted to the clay-limestone soils and the mountain climate. The white varieties — Malvasia di Candia Aromatica, Ortrugo, Marsanne, and Moscato — form a quartet that produces both macerated orange wines and fresh still whites, each expressing a different facet of the Casè terroir. Together, they create a portfolio that is both deeply rooted in Emilia-Romagna and boldly individual.
~4 hectares on a south-facing steep slope at Casal Pozzino, Travo. Clay soils with limestone inserts that increase with altitude up to 560m. Cool breeze from the Val Trebbia valley. Warm days, cool nights, constant air movement. Steep slope demands manual cultivation only. Fewer but more concentrated grapes with rich mineral aromas.
Certified organic. No synthetic chemistry — no herbicides, pesticides, or industrial fertilizers. Vines coexist with field herbs, insects, small animals. Grassed between rows for habitat and natural competition. Minimal sulfur and copper for dusting only. Manual harvest with selective bunch removal. Ecosystem health as priority.
Pinot Nero planted on Burgundian clones (115) selected for low productivity. Small berries of extraordinary concentration. Early harvest for freshness and lightness. Challenging variety for Colli Piacentini — embraced with determination. Also: Barbera, Bonarda/Croatina, Malvasia di Candia, Ortrugo, Marsanne, Moscato.
Alberto met Giulio Armani (La Stoppa/Denavolo) in early 1990s. Insights shared over bottles of wine. Made wine at La Stoppa cellar from 2000 as part-time farmer. Left corporate job in 2012 to dedicate life to wine. Direct lineage of natural winemaking knowledge in the Val Trebbia. Transmission from master to disciple.
Indigenous Yeasts & No Added Sulfites
At Casè, the cellar philosophy is one of radical simplicity and absolute honesty. All wines are spontaneously fermented with indigenous yeasts only — no commercial strains, no temperature control, no enzymes, no additives. Most wines are bottled with no added sulfites whatsoever; the Riva del Ciliegio — aged in tonneaux and barrique — contains less than 25 mg/L of total sulfites, a minimal amount that is functionally negligible. The wines are unfiltered, preserving their natural textures, living yeasts, and authentic flavors. This is natural winemaking in its purest form: the transformation of healthy, hand-selected grapes by their own native microflora, in their own time, with no correction, manipulation, or preservation beyond the wine's own natural stability.
The techniques are straightforward yet precise, shaped by Alberto's years of working alongside Giulio Armani:
Harvest & Selection: All grapes are meticulously hand-harvested from the estate's organic vineyards. The harvest is carried out manually with selective removal of unripe or damaged bunches — a painstaking process that ensures only the healthiest, most mature fruit reaches the cellar. For the Pinot Nero destined for the lighter, fresher wines, Alberto performs an early harvest to preserve acidity and avoid excessive alcohol. The grapes are transported quickly to the cellar and processed immediately, maintaining the integrity of the fruit from vine to vessel.
"Casè Bianco" — The Macerated White: The Casè Bianco is the estate's signature macerated white — an orange wine that showcases the potential of the Val Trebbia's white varieties when treated with skin contact. It is crafted from a balanced quartet: 25% Malvasia di Candia Aromatica, 25% Ortrugo, 25% Marsanne, and 25% Moscato. The grapes undergo long maceration on the pure peels — extended skin contact that extracts color, tannin, and phenolic complexity. Fermentation occurs spontaneously with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel tanks, and the wine ages in steel before bottling with no added sulfites. The result is a wine that is alive and authentic — hazy, textured, and deeply expressive of the vintage. It is a pure expression of annata, as the Italians say — a wine that tells the story of the year in which it was made. ~$20–$28 / ~€18–€25.
"Kaseki" — The Single-Variety White: The Kaseki is a still white made from 100% Malvasia di Candia Aromatica — a variety that is the heart of the Colli Piacentini's white wine tradition. Unlike the macerated Casè Bianco, the Kaseki is made without extended skin contact, allowing the pure aromatics and freshness of the Malvasia to shine. It is fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel and bottled with no added sulfites. The result is a wine of floral delicacy, citrus brightness, and mineral clarity — a fresh, clean expression of the variety that complements the more structured orange wine. ~$18–$26 / ~€16–€23.
"Riva del Ciliegio" — The Pinot Nero: The Riva del Ciliegio is Casè's most celebrated wine — a 100% Pinot Nero dell'Emilia IGT that has earned recognition for its fragrance and spiciness. The name "Riva del Ciliegio" evokes the cherry trees that once grew along the riverbank near the vineyard — a poetic connection to the landscape that Alberto knows intimately. The grapes undergo 20–22 days of skin contact maceration, then age in a combination of tonneaux and barrique, giving the wine a subtle oak complexity that complements its natural fruit. At 12% alcohol, it is light, fresh, and elegant — the result of an early harvest that preserves acidity and avoids heaviness. The nose offers fragrant cherry, wild strawberry, spice, and forest floor. The palate is silky, with fine tannins and a persistent finish. Less than 25 mg/L total sulfites. Serve at 14–16°C. ~$24–$34 / ~€22–€31.
"Calcaròt" — The Barbera-Bonarda Red: The Calcaròt is Casè's classic Emilian red — a blend of 60% Barbera and 40% Croatina (Bonarda) that captures the warmth and earthiness of the Val Trebbia. The name "Calcaròt" references the calcareous soils that define the estate's terroir — a nod to the limestone inserts that give the wines their mineral backbone. The grapes are hand-harvested, destemmed, and crushed, then fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel. The maceration is adapted to the vintage — long enough to extract color and tannin, short enough to preserve freshness. The wine ages in steel and is bottled with no added sulfites. In the glass, it is deep ruby with purple reflections. The nose offers dark cherry, plum, earth, and a hint of spice. The palate is medium-bodied, with vibrant acidity, soft tannins, and a savory finish that calls for Emilian cuisine — tortelli, cotechino, aged Parmigiano. ~$18–$26 / ~€16–€23.
"Harusame" — The Sparkling Rosato: The Harusame is Casè's sparkling rosato — a festive, joyful wine made from 100% Pinot Nero. The name "Harusame" is Japanese for "spring rain" — a delicate, poetic reference to the fine, gentle bubbles that characterize this wine. It is made using the ancestral method (pét-nat): the wine is bottled during fermentation, allowing the natural production of CO2 to create soft, creamy bubbles without any added sugar, yeast, or dosage. The result is a wine of extraordinary freshness and purity — wild strawberry, rose petal, citrus zest, and a subtle yeasty complexity. The bubbles are fine and persistent, the palate creamy and refreshing. At 11.5% alcohol, it is light, drinkable, and perfect for any occasion. Bottled with no added sulfites. Serve well chilled. ~$22–$30 / ~€20–€27.
Vessels & Ageing: Alberto works primarily with stainless steel tanks for fermentation and ageing — a choice that reflects his preference for neutral vessels that preserve the purity of the fruit and the clarity of the terroir. The stainless steel provides thermal stability, prevents oxidation, and allows the wines to develop their own character without external influence. For the Riva del Ciliegio, a portion of the wine sees time in tonneaux and barrique — a subtle oak influence that adds complexity without overwhelming the delicate Pinot Nero fruit. The ageing periods are adapted to each wine and each vintage — the Casè Bianco and Calcaròt age in steel, preserving their freshness and vitality, while the Riva del Ciliegio benefits from the slower evolution of wood. All wines are bottled unfiltered, with no added sulfites for most cuvées, preserving their natural haze, their living yeasts, and their authentic textures.
"Riva del Ciliegio" — "100% Pinot Nero dell'Emilia IGT — 20–22 Day Maceration, Tonneaux & Barrique Ageing, <25 mg/L Sulfites, 12% Alcohol — The Fragrance & Spiciness of the Val Trebbia"
The Riva del Ciliegio is Casè's most celebrated and distinctive wine — a Pinot Nero of extraordinary fragrance, elegance, and spice that encapsulates everything Alberto Anguissola believes about terroir, exploration, and the transformative potential of indigenous yeasts. It is not merely a wine; it is the realization of a life's dream, the fruit of decades of learning from Giulio Armani, and proof that Pinot Nero — a challenging grape for the Colli Piacentini — can achieve a level of refinement and expression that rivals the great wines of Burgundy.
The name "Riva del Ciliegio" means "Cherry Tree Bank" — a poetic evocation of the landscape where the vineyard sits, along the riverbank where cherry trees once grew in abundance. It is a name that connects the wine to the land, to memory, and to the sensory world of the Val Trebbia. The grapes come from the Casal Pozzino vineyards — 550 meters above sea level on a south-facing steep slope, where the clay-limestone soils and the cool valley breeze create a microclimate of rare suitability for Pinot Nero. The vines are planted on Burgundian clones selected for low productivity, particularly the 115 clone, which produces small berries of intense concentration.
The viticulture is certified organic. The vines are cultivated manually, with no synthetic chemicals — only minimal sulfur and copper for dusting. The harvest is entirely by hand, with early picking to preserve acidity and keep alcohol moderate. The selective removal of unripe or damaged bunches ensures that only the finest fruit enters the cellar. In the winery, the grapes are destemmed and crushed, then fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel tanks. The maceration lasts 20–22 days — a period carefully calibrated to extract color, tannin, and aromatic complexity without creating heaviness or aggression.
After fermentation, the wine is transferred to a combination of tonneaux and barrique for ageing. The oak is subtle, integrated, and respectful of the Pinot Nero's delicate fruit — it adds structure and spice without overwhelming the wine's natural elegance. The result is bottled with less than 25 mg/L of total sulfites — a minimal amount that allows the wine to travel while preserving its natural character. In the glass, it is ruby-garnet with brilliant clarity. The nose is a symphony of fragrance: wild cherry, strawberry, raspberry, violet, rose petal, cinnamon, clove, and a distinct forest-floor earthiness that speaks of the Apennine foothills. The palate is silky, medium-bodied, with fine-grained tannins, vibrant acidity, and a persistent, savory finish.
The Riva del Ciliegio is a wine of food and contemplation. Serve at 14–16°C with roasted poultry, mushroom risotto, grilled salmon, or aged Pecorino. It is a wine that rewards patience — it will develop more earthy, leathery, and truffle-like complexity with 5–10 years of cellaring. This is the wine that carries the legacy of Alberto's 20-year apprenticeship with Giulio Armani, his courage to leave corporate life for the vine, and his unwavering belief that wine should be a continuous exploration. Every bottle is a testament to the power of mentorship, the beauty of Pinot Nero in unexpected places, and the enduring magic of wines that honor the land without intervention. ~$24–$34 / ~€22–€31.
The Casè Range
Alberto Anguissola and Diego Ragazzi produce an artisanal, natural portfolio from their ~4 hectares of organically certified vineyards at Casal Pozzino, Travo, Val Trebbia, Colli Piacentini, Emilia-Romagna. All wines are estate-grown, hand-harvested with selective bunch removal, spontaneously fermented with indigenous yeasts, unfiltered, and bottled with no added sulfites (the Riva del Ciliegio contains <25 mg/L total sulfites from natural production). No commercial yeasts, no enzymes, no additives, no temperature control, no filtration. The portfolio spans macerated orange whites, still whites, Pinot Nero reds, Barbera-Bonarda blends, and pét-nat sparkling rosato — each one a sincere, exploratory expression of the Val Trebbia terroir. Prices are approximate and in USD/EUR.
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Vin Sud Shop (EU) — shows multiple Casè wines (e.g. Harusame Frizzante Emilia IGT 2020, Riva del Ciliegio Emilia IGT 2019, among others) with EU shipping terms. Vini Sud Shop
WineYou (Italy/EU) — brand page for Casè; should ship in the EU markets. Wine You
Callmewine (EU/UK) — catalogue has Casè wines. Callmewine
Vini Viventi (Singapore / international wine shop) — stocks Casè; useful if you're outside EU.