Quando guardiamo l’uva il primo pensiero che ci sfiora è proprio quello del vino!

Ma l’uva in realtà non è così scontata e tantomeno la sua trasformazione.

Per millenni, e in luoghi diversi del mondo, il vino è stato prodotto, consumato e conservato in modi e recipienti diversi.

Gli antichi romani, ad esempio, usavano conservarlo in anfore di terracotta; lo allungavano spesso con dell’acqua e lo aromatizzavano con spezie e/o miele.

Noi siamo abituati oggi a vederlo così, sottoforma di bottiglia da 0.75 l.

Questo perché la resa media per un chilogrammo di uva è proprio 0.75 l di mosto (naturalmente dipende da molteplici fattori, dal tipo ti vitigno all’annata).

Esiste anche una magica coincidenza: la capacità polmonare dei soffiatori di bottiglie del ‘700 era proprio di 0.75 l.

Coincidenza o magia, oggi 0.75 l è il formato standard della bottiglia di vino.

E il resto che fine fa? Beh, dell’uva non si butta via proprio niente!

Il raspo, che non viene più tenuto in macerazione come una volta, può essere sapientemente impiegato come concime organico.

Le vinacce vengono conferite in distilleria per la produzione di grappa di qualità. E la vinaccia stessa, una volta esausta, può diventare concime o combustibile organico.

Persino i semi trovano il loro posto in questo ciclo, donando il pregiato olio di vinacciolo, ricco di antiossidanti e polifenoli (proprio come l’uva!) e con proprietà emollienti e nutrienti.

Il ciclo rinnovabile dell’uva segna il ritmo annuale della viticultura, che Marenco segue ormai da più di 100 anni.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

When we look at grapes, the very first thought that comes to mind is wine!

But grapes are not as simple as they may seem, nor is their transformation.

For thousands of years, and in different parts of the world, wine has been produced, consumed, and stored in many different ways and containers.
The ancient Romans, for example, used to store it in terracotta amphorae; they often diluted it with water and flavored it with spices and/or honey.

Today, we are used to seeing it like this: in a 0.75-liter bottle.
This is because the average yield from one kilogram of grapes is about 0.75 liters of must (of course, this depends on many factors, from the grape variety to the vintage).

There is also a curious coincidence: the lung capacity of 18th century glassblowers was about 0.75 liters.
Coincidence or magic, today 0.75 liters is the standard size of a wine bottle.

And what happens to the rest? Well, nothing from the grape goes to waste!

The stems, which are no longer left to macerate as they once were, can be skillfully used as organic fertilizer.
The pomace is sent to distilleries for the production of high-quality grappa. And once exhausted, it can still be used as fertilizer or organic fuel.

Even the seeds find their place in this cycle, yielding valuable grapeseed oil, rich in antioxidants and polyphenols (just like grapes!) and known for its emollient and nourishing properties.

The renewable cycle of the grape sets the annual rhythm of viticulture, one that Marenco has followed for more than 100 years.

L'articolo DELL’UVA NON SI BUTTA VIA NIENTE! proviene da Marenco Vini.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Producing quality Moscato is anything but trivial. Moscato is a pillar of the history and tradition of the Monferrato area, and Moscato di Strevi is even more so, blending the grape variety’s characteristics with those unique to the Bagnario Valley; here, Marenco produces Scrapona.

Terpenes, aromatic substances found free in the grape, characterize the aromatic profile of Moscato Bianco, which we can enjoy both by tasting a fresh bunch and a glass of Scrapona.

Fermentation is interrupted after a short period of time to preserve the must’s natural sugars, which balance perfectly with the grape’s intrinsic freshness.

In the past, so called “Dutch bags,” thick cotton filters, halted the fermentation process.

Today, we lower the temperature and use more efficient filters. Furthermore, the carbon dioxide released during fermentation is retained in the wine. The result is a wine that combines sweetness, aromatic intensity, low alcohol content, and a creamy foam in the glass.

But what makes Moscato di Strevi even more unique are the calcareous marl soils and the maritime microclimate created by its proximity to the Ligurian Sea. These characteristics give the grapes a unique freshness and minerality, resulting in incomparable longevity and extraordinary balance:

a pleasantly thirst-quenching wine that pairs well with food, both sweet and savoury.

The “Scrapona Family Collection” was created precisely because of the longevity of Moscato di Strevi:

Some bottles of Scrapona are placed in our vault every year to age for a minimum of four years in the bottle. The result is a Moscato with perfectly preserved foam, but with more complex and enveloping aromas and flavors.

Quality takes time, passion, consistency, and patience, from the vineyard to the bottle.

And Marenco knows this; they’ve been doing it for 100 years.

L'articolo MOSCATO, DOLCE MOSCATO! proviene da Marenco Vini.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Zana isn’t just a vineyard. It’s a project born from research, care, and attention. It is a CRU of the designation NIZZA DOCG.

The long tradition of Marenco wines, rooted in sweet aromatics, has also found expression in the excellence of Barbera, especially starting from the 1970s. A tradition that has always kept pace with the times, so much so that after the creation of the NIZZA DOCG appellation in 2014, formed from a subzone of the Barbera d’Asti appellation, Marenco embarked on a new journey. 

This journey found its first spark in 2019, with the identification of a small vineyard in Castel Boglione (AT), near Nizza Monferrato, part of the cru Zana. One of the highest vineyards in the area, at over 400 meters above sea level, with a southern exposure, predominantly sandy soil, and vines approximately 30 years old.

All essential ingredients for the finesse, elegance, and expressive power that this Barbera unleashes in the glass. 

From this vineyard we produce our Nizza Riserva Zana, which year after year brings us hard work but above all satisfaction.

For Marenco, the hard work is rewarded with quality and the satisfaction of a tradition rooted in passion, dedication, and innovation.

L'articolo ZANA: NON SOLO UNA VIGNA proviene da Marenco Vini.

We live in an era of rapid innovation. Every year, a new car model comes out. Every six months, a new smartwatch promises to change our way of life. A line of perfumes, a new spirit, a limited-edition pair of sneakers: it only takes a few months to go from an idea to a finished product.

But wine—real wine—has a completely different pace. And precisely in this slowness, in the patience needed to bring it to the glass, lies its deepest value.

Pace of the vineyard, not of the factory.

Designing a car takes about 2-3 years. A new smartwatch can hit the market in less than 12 months. A spirit? Sometimes it only takes 6 months to develop a new recipe and bottle it. For a new wine, however, the timeframe is radically different.

There are no shortcuts. There are no prototypes. Only nature exists.

It all starts in the vineyard. A new label is born from an idea, of course—like all products—but then it must pass through the soil, the climate, and the hands of our winemakers. If the wine calls for a grape variety that isn’t already cultivated, new rows must be planted: and here the timeframe increases dramatically. A vine takes about three years to bear its first fruit, but to obtain quality grapes for great wine, at least five to seven years are needed.

At that point, the first vinification can be carried out. Then we taste. We think. We consider whether the wine has personality, balance, elegance. Whether it can truly represent the winery. Whether it is worthy of bearing our name.

Only after these steps—which can last up to 10 years—is bottling possible. Then there’s more time: for aging, to understand the evolution in the bottle, to define the label, the tone of the narrative, its identity. Every detail counts, because a wine isn’t changed every six months. A wine lasts.

The difference between a launch and a story

The time to market for an industrial product is tied to demand and competitiveness. The time to market for a wine, on the other hand, is tied to the rhythm of nature, the identity of the territory, and fidelity to our history.

A new Marenco wine isn’t created to “shock the market,” but to endure, year after year, harvest after harvest. It’s born from intuition, experiments, and trials in the vineyard and cellar. But above all, it stems from a simple idea: to create something meaningful for our territory, for Monferrato, and for those who have chosen us for generations.

And in this sense, we are in no rush.

L'articolo TIME TO MARKET proviene da Marenco Vini.

L’uva non è semplicemente matura o acerba, ma va incontro a un processo molto complesso, che coinvolge fasi anche molto diverse.

Durante la maturazione aumenta la concentrazione di zuccheri, mentre diminuisce gradualmente quella di acidi (la cosiddetta maturazione tecnologica):

per uve destinate alle basi spumante si manterrà un rapporto acidi-zuccheri orientato verso l’acidità; per il nostro Moscato d’Asti invece ci sarà equilibrio.

La maturazione fenolica coinvolge le sostanze appunto fenoliche, ossia gli antociani, responsabili del colore dei grappoli, e i tannini che fungono da antiossidanti naturali. La maturazione aromatica, fondamentale per il nostro Moscato e Brachetto, avviene quando si raggiunge il picco dei terpeni, che donano i profumi unici dei vini Strev, Scrapona e Pineto.

Un territorio è definito vocato alla viticoltura quando le maturazioni tecnologiche, fenoliche ed aromatiche tendono a coincidere.

Quando l’esperienza ci dice che il momento è arrivato vengono raccolti dei campioni per le analisi di laboratorio. In base ai risultati, e all’imprescindibile degustazione degli acini, si procede con la vendemmia vera e propria. Oppure si attende ancora qualche giorno e si ripetono analisi ed assaggi.

Ondate di caldo, temporali, sbalzi di temperatura, stagioni imprevedibili: la raccolta dei preziosi grappoli è una vera sfida che fonda le proprie radici nel lavoro, nell’esperienza e nella scienza. La maturazione perfetta è un attimo, che va assecondato e colto.

Con sapienza Marenco prosegue questo cammino complesso e affascinante.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Here we are, like every year, our carts are filled with ripe and fragrant bunches of grapes. But not simply ripe. Because to make a good wine, the grapes must reach a specific level of ripeness, depending on the grape variety and the type of wine desired.

Grapes aren’t simply ripe or unripe; they undergo a highly complex process involving many different phases.

During ripening, the sugar concentration increases, while the acid concentration gradually decreases (known as technological ripeness). For grapes intended for sparkling wine bases, the acid-sugar ratio will be maintained, skewing toward acidity; for our Moscato d’Asti, however, there will be a balance.

Phenolic ripeness involves phenolic substances, namely anthocyanins, responsible for the color of the grapes, and tannins, which act as natural antioxidants. Aromatic ripening, crucial for our Moscato and Brachetto, occurs when the terpenes reach their peak, giving the unique aromas of our Strev, Scrapona, and Pineto wines.

A territory is considered suitable for viticulture when technological, phenolic, and aromatic ripeness tend to coincide.

When experience tells us the right moment has arrived, samples are collected for laboratory analysis. Based on the results, and the essential tasting of the grapes, the actual harvest begins.

Or we wait a few more days and repeat the analyses and tastings. Heat waves, storms, temperature swings, unpredictable seasons: harvesting these precious grapes is a true challenge rooted in hard work, experience, and science. Perfect ripeness is a moment, which must be nurtured and embraced. Marenco wisely continues this complex and fascinating journey.

L'articolo L’ATTIMO DELLA VENDEMMIA proviene da Marenco Vini.

Un momento di fondamentale importanza per i viticoltori, che monitorano con cura e costanza questa fase.

L’invaiatura, infatti non è un fenomeno soltanto visivo, ma indica l’inizio e l’evolversi della maturazione del frutto, con la migrazione degli zuccheri dai tralci agli acini e l’accumulo di acido malico e tartarico, nonché dello sviluppo delle sostanze pigmentose nelle bucce:

varietà di uva bianche, infatti, passano dal verde della clorofilla a sfumature gialle e dorate, caratteristiche dei carotenoidi;

varietà a bacca nera sviluppano gli antociani, responsabili delle profonde tonalità rosse e tendenti al viola, nonché potenti antiossidanti naturali.

A seconda del vitigno cambia l’epoca dell’invaiatura. Nelle nostre valli a Strevi il primo a colorarsi è il Brachetto.

La tradizione contadina conta circa 40 giorni dall’inizio dell’invaiatura per vendemmiare. E, nonostante le tecniche moderne ci permettano di iniziare la raccolta delle uve al momento più opportuno, l’invaiatura segna in ogni caso l’inizio del conto alla rovescia: un’altra vendemmia Marenco, la centesima, sta per arrivare.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

It is always worth enjoying a refreshing stroll through the vineyards, regardless of the season. And every moment of the year offers different landscapes. Now the lush vineyards start to blend in different shades: it is time for veraison, when the grapes start to change color.

An essential moment for winemakers, who monitor with care and perseverance this phase.

Veraison, in fact, isn’t just a visual phenomenon, but it indicates the beginning and progression of the grape ripening, with the migration of sugar from the shoots to the berries and the accumulation of tartaric and malic acids, as well as the development of the pigments in the skins:

white grape varieties fade from clorophyll green to yellow and golden tones, typical of carotenoids;

red varieties develop anthocyanins, responsible for the deep red and purple hues, which are also powerful antioxidants.

The timing of veraison varies depending on the grape variety. In our valleys in Strevi the first to become colorful is Brachetto.

Rural tradition counts about 40 days from the start of veraison to harvest. And, although mordern techniques allow us to begin harvesting at the most suitable time, veraison nevertheless marks the start of the count down: another Marenco harvest, the hundtredth, is about to arrive.

L'articolo L’INVAIATURA proviene da Marenco Vini.

All’epoca non ottenne grande clamore, infatti i caratteri ampelografici, enologici e produttivi di questo vitigno furono approfonditi solo attraverso studi successivi e fu iscritta nel Registro Nazionale delle varietà di vite nel 1977.

Ulteriori studi genetici hanno poi dimostrato che uno dei due  genitori dell’Albarossa in realtà non è il Nebbiolo, ma lo Chatus, conosciuto anche con il nome di Nebbiolo di Dronero, dal nome del comune alpino in provincia di Cuneo. Si ritiene che ci sia stato un errore in fase di impollinazione, dovuto forse alla somiglianza fra i nomi di questi due vitigni.

Proprio grazie all’unione di questi due vitigni, l’Albarossa esprime un vino di grande personalità, dal colore profondo e note fruttate che si fondono con spezie e sentori tostati. Un vino dalle ottime potenzialità di invecchiamento e dall’ampia versatilità in gastronomia.

Fu la nostra enologa, Patrizia Marenco, che partecipando anch’essa agli studi, piantò una fra le prime vigne di Albarossa in Piemonte, nel 2001.

Anno dopo anno questa vigna in cima alla collina ci dona grandi soddisfazioni ed emozioni, un luogo dal quale osserviamo tramonti e albe rosse, stagione dopo stagione.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Not many know the grape variety Albarossa. And even less know its history. An indigenous red grape from Piedmont, Albarossa was created in 1938 by the piedmontese ampelographer and agronomist Giovanni Dalmasso, with the aim of developing a new variety which would combine the qualities of Nebbiolo and Barbera. Its name (litterally “red dawn”) is a tribute to the piedmontese town of Alba, place where Professor Dalmasso conducted his studies.

At the time this variety did not attract much attention. In fact, the ampelographic, oenological and productive characteristics were analized in depth only in subsequent studies and it was officially registered in the National Vine Variety Register in 1977.

Further genetic studies later evidenced that one of Albarossa‘s two parents  is not Nebbiolo, but Chatus, also called “Nebbiolo di Dronero”, named after the alpine town in the province of Cuneo. It is belived that a mistake occured during the pollination phase, possibly due to the similarity between the names of these two vines.

Precisely due to the combination of these two varieties, Albarossa produces a wine with great personality, deep color and fruity notes that blend with spicy ad toasted aromas. It is a wine with excellent aging potential and remarkable  gastronomic versatility.

It was our wine maker, Patrizia Marenco, who also took part in the aforementioned studies, who planted one of the very first Albarossa vineyards in Piedmont in 2001.

Year after year this vineyard on top of the hill brings great satisfaction and emotion, a place where we witness red sunsets and red dawns, season after season.

L'articolo ALBAROSSA: STORIA DI UN VITIGNO proviene da Marenco Vini.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Work in the vineyards never stops. This is especially true during this period, the time of green pruning. The vine is a plant and, as such, a living being that requires care, attention and passion.

At this time, it is entering the peak of its vegetative development, with vigorous growth of the leaf system.

This is when green pruning plays a crucial role; it is an essential agronomic practice aimed at controlling the plant’s growth in order to improve its health and optimize the productivity and quality of the harvest.

These are targeted and delicate interventions, mostly manual.

The goal is to remove shoots that grow with too much vigor and speed. In this way, the plant will not waste valuable resources, which will instead be used to develop the most precious part: the grape.

With the same aim of improving the plant’s energy distribution, the shoots that grow at the base of the vine (suckers), the double shoots, and in a later phase the secondary shoots (side shoots) are eliminated.

Furthermore, green pruning allows a better management of sunlight exposure of the grapes. Direct sunlight on the grapes has always been crucial for the development and quality of the fruits.

However, in recent years, with rising temperatures and the lengthening of the summer seasons, the removal of green leaves is adjusted based on seasonal trends and temperature fluctuations. The higher the temperatures rise, the more crucial it becomes to preserve the intrinsic taste and olfactory qualities of our grapes.

Finally, topping is carried out, which is the cutting of the terminal part of the shoots. This practice helps prevent them from growing chaotically and extending beyond the support structures. Overall, along with the other green pruning practices, it contributes to better air circulation, preventing moisture stagnation that could favor the development of fungal diseases.

With wisdom, patience, and tenacity, Marenco mediates between nature and science along a continuous cycle, the vegetative and vital cycle of the vine.

L'articolo LA POTATURA VERDE proviene da Marenco Vini.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

At Marenco, we always emphasize that the Scrapona vineyard is our pride and joy, our most precious cru; it is from there that the project for an important Moscato of Strevi began a century ago.

But why is Scrapona so unique? The Strevi area is renowned for its distinctive characteristics linked to the influence of the Mediterranean Sea, the Ligurian Apennines, and the geological formation of white marl, which give the Moscato of Strevi a perfect balance of acidity, minerality, sweetness, and fragrance.

However, the Scrapona vineyard is itself a unique case:

In 1996, about 24,000 vines were replanted on an area of approximately 6 hectares; for each vine, worm humus was manually added as a natural fertilizer to help the plants root as best as possible.

Each vine was obtained through massal selection from the pre-existing vines on the hill. This is how the genetic and aromatic heritage of Scrapona’s grapes has been preserved until today.

Furthermore, the vineyard is constantly studied: with its southwest exposure, it was possible to divide it into 7 plots, where distinct cultivation techniques are applied. This allows us to observe, study, and monitor the climate changes, sustainability, and health of our grapes year after year, in order to continually improve.

Therefore, Scrapona is not just the hill of memories, the symbol of the beginning of a journey that is still ongoing, but also a tangible testament to a viticultural past of great value, which, while keeping pace with the times, continues to preserve its excellence.

L'articolo LA VIGNA SCRAPONA E IL MOSCATO MARENCO proviene da Marenco Vini.

The vine has been cultivated for millennia. Its domestication dates back about 11,000 years, developing in parallel with the advent of agriculture.

Over the centuries, many peoples adopted different cultivation techniques (and thus pruning methods): from the creeping vines of the Caucasian peoples to the Egyptian pergola, from the Etruscan vine trellises to the bush vine and spurred cordon techniques of the Greeks, which were later spread by the Romans throughout Europe.

A legend tells that it was the Egyptians who first began pruning, noticing that the vine branches nibbled by goats regrew more vigorously.

Marenco has always adopted the Guyot pruning method, a technique of Greek origin aimed at producing a small quantity of high-quality grapes.

The best time for this operation is in the winter, specifically after the leaves have fallen and before the so-called “vine planting” occurs.

Wrapped in a veil of melancholic mystery, this expression refers to a phenomenon that is anything but depressing. In fact, it is a natural event in which nature awakens after winter, even before the buds open.

Once the leaves have fallen in autumn, the vine slows down its vital activities in preparation for the cold season. When temperatures start to rise again, the sap begins to circulate once more: the pressure increases at the root system, giving momentum to the circulation and causing crystalline sap to flow from the cuts made by the pruning shears, dripping like tears from the eyes.

This sap is not only a sign of the plant’s vitality but also acts as a natural healer, preventing pathogens from attacking the wound.

After Guyot pruning, the shoot chosen by the pruner as the new fruiting head is tied to the trellis wire, which will hold it in position during the summer season.

Walking through our hills at this time of year, it’s not uncommon to spot groups of vine-tie workers who, accompanied by the “crying” of the vine—a symbol of a new cycle and a new beginning—gift the hillside breezes with their chants, anecdotes, and laughter.

L'articolo IL PIANTO DELLA VITE proviene da Marenco Vini.