etereo.
minerale.
senza compromessi.
Ferdinando Principiano has been farming 21 hectares in the southeast corner of Barolo since 1993. He converted to organic viticulture in 2003 and now produces ethereal, moderate-alcohol Nebbiolo (13-13.5%) that challenges the modern trend toward extracted, high-octane Barolo. No green harvest, wild canopies, spontaneous fermentation, minimal sulfur.
"Se non sai da dove vieni, come puoi sapere dove stai andando?"
Ferdinando's philosophy is deeply rooted in respect for the Langhe, its history, and the community. He studied 19th-century letters from the Count of Cavour and his farm manager to understand how Barolo was made before pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers existed.
"Il mio obiettivo non è arricchirmi facendo vino per ricchi. Faccio e vendo vino accessibile a tutti che rappresenti questo luogo."
— "My goal is not to become rich making wine for rich people"
In 2003, Ferdinando stopped fertilizing vines and pruning leaves, letting plants find their own equilibrium. PH levels dropped so much that bacteria couldn't survive. He realized he simply didn't need additives—no débourbage, no fining, no filtration, minimal SO2.
No green harvest—wild, thick leaf canopy provides shade to grape clusters. Spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel. No SO2 added between harvest and end of malolactic fermentation. Some whole-cluster fermentation. Hand-scythed cover crops.
Ravera, Boscareto, Lirano, Bricco della Croce
Principiano's holdings span the quiet southeast of Barolo, from the steep, untractorable slopes of Ravera di Monforte (1934 plantings) to the limestone-rich Boscareto cru in Serralunga where he created a pond for migratory birds and frogs.
- Ravera di Monforte 1934 vines, extreme steepness, sandier soils like Cannubi
- Boscareto Limestone, clay, sand; 400m altitude; SE exposure
- Lirano Alternating marl and yellow sand; middle ground between Alta/Bassa Langa
- Montagliato & Bricco della Croce 400-550m altitude, constant wind, Napoleonic battle site
- Serravalle Langhe 750m altitude; Timorasso and rare Slarina
The alcohol levels don't seem to bother them. Ferdinando totally eschews green harvest, preferring a wild canopy that gives shade to the clusters.
— On achieving 13% alcohol vs. the typical 15%+ modern Barolo
From Dosset to Ravera: vino per tutti
Ferdinando makes wine for everyday drinking (€4 Dolcetto) to special occasion Barolo (€40 Ravera). He refuses to abandon native varieties like Dolcetto, Barbera, and Freisa despite the trend toward 100% Nebbiolo plantings.
Custodi della terra
Principiano is obsessed with preserving biodiversity. He has bought adjacent forests, created a pond at Boscareto from a natural spring (now home to herons and hundreds of frogs), erected beehives, and planted woods within his vineyards—contrary to the widespread practice of clearing woodland for new vines.
Ferdinando scythes the cover crop between rows by hand instead of using mechanized strimmers. This reduces noise pollution and preserves insect and plant biodiversity. The project began in Ravera di Monforte where he first converted to natural viticulture in 2002.
At Bricco della Croce (Hilltop of the Cross), Ferdinando restored a wooden cross that locals erected after a bloody battle with Napoleon's troops in the 18th century. He also rebuilt a stone fort from the Napoleonic era and replanted a massive pine tree from Alba—recreating the landscape as it existed centuries ago.