Brovia – Barolo Rocche di Castiglione: 1982-2010

Brovia is one of Piedmont’s historic families. Giacinto Brovia worked sixty harvests until his passing last summer, a testament to the firmly held values of a local culture where farming and winemaking is a way of life rather than a job. Today, the estate is run by Brovia's daughters, Elena and Cristina, and Elena’s husband, Alex Sánchez. The Brovia wines have often been outstanding, but over the last two decades or so, quality and consistency have both surged, placing this small, family-run estate in the upper echelon of Barolo producers. Brovia bottles single-vineyard Barolos from Rocche di Castiglione, Villero and Garblèt Sué, all in Castiglione Falletto, and Brea in Serralunga, plus a straight Barolo that is made mostly from young vine Brea fruit. 

In my view, the Rocche di Castiglione remains Brovia's flagship Barolo, although Brea has come on very strong since it was added to the range in the mid 1990s. Barolos from Rocche are distinguished by their floral aromatics, precise fruit and silky, polished tannins, all qualities that often give them early accessibility, but without sacrificing longevity. Stylistically, Rocche di Castiglione can be compared with Bricco Rocche, which sits just above, and also Monprivato for its ability to produce deceptively mid-weight yet age-worthy Barolos. This extensive vertical was a great opportunity to revisit many of the classics as well as a few wines from less well known but equally noteworthy vintages.

Explore the Vinous Barolo Vineyard Map

The Brovia estate traces its lineage back to 1863, but the modern-day history begins in the early 1940s, when the family moved to Castiglione Falletto from their homes in Alba and Torino. In 1943 the Brovias bought a farmhouse at the current site of the winery, along with vineyards in Garblèt Sué. Virtually all of the production was sold in demijohn or in cask, as was then the custom. These were not easy times, as Piedmont struggled mightily to emerge from a period of post World War II malaise that saw young people abandon the countryside in search of work in the cities.

Giacinto Brovia was just six years old when his father passed away in 1932, which, along with the aftermath of the war, caused the family business to cease operations for about twenty years. By 1953, Brovia was ready to pick things up again. That year, Brovia bought grapes from another grower in Rocche, igniting a longstanding love affair with the vineyard, one of the steepest and most dramatic sites in all of Barolo. Brovia put feelers out with the local mediatori - brokers who transacted grapes and land on behalf of buyers and sellers - but to no avail. Many years passed with little in the way of developments.

Rocche di Castiglione, Castiglione Falletto

Then, out of the blue, Brovia heard through a friend a piece of land was for sale in Rocche. The year was 1968. Even back then, vineyard purchases were done with maximum secrecy. One night, late, under the full moon, Brovia went to see the vineyard. “It’s incredible to think about it.” says Elena Brovia. “Today, it is pretty much impossible to buy a parcel in Rocche, but even back then, that hillside was very highly regarded, so much so that my father wanted to visit the vineyard at night, when no one could see him walking among the rows. If he had been seen there would have suddenly been immense competition for that parcel and the price would have surely gone up. My father and the buyer reached a handshake agreement on the spot and the morning after the deal was done.”

The Brovias also made Barolo from vineyards they did not own, the most famous being Monprivato, which was added to the portfolio in 1985. I have only tasted the 1985 Brovia Monprivato once, some years back, but it was magnificent. The Brovias rented that parcel and made wine through the 1990 harvest, after which the owner sold the parcel to Mauro Mascarello. In 1991, the Brovias bought a piece in Villero and in 1995 added their holding in Brea, one of the most striking monopoles in all of Piedmont. “When we bought Villero we thought it would be more similar to Monprivato,” says Elena Brovia. “The exposure is the same, the hills are parallel and the soils are pretty similar, but instead the wines are completely different.”

Multimedia: Alex Sánchez shares his thoughts on Brea