Il Calosso DOC
The DOC Calosso, one of the smallest and most recent denominations in Italy, was born in 2011, to protect a wine produced with grapes of the Gamba Rossa vine, or known locally as Gamba di Pernice. A rediscovered heritage of one of the oldest and rarest Piedmontese vines, Gamba di Pernice owes its name to the detail of the bright red color of the stalk before veraison, which recalls the legs of partridges. Once known in the Alba area as Pernicine, Gamba di Pernice, also called Gamba Rossa or Imperatrice dalla Gamba Rossa, is a rare vine today, from which a black berried grape already mentioned by Nuvolone in 1798 is obtained. Almost disappeared in the 1900s, thanks to the stubbornness of some Calossese producers, after 12 years of experimentation with the University of Turin, it was replanted by various producers, becoming the flagship of Calossese viticulture, until the recognition of the denomination in 2011 of the Calosso DOC.
The DOC "Calosso" wines must be obtained from 90% to 100% grapes from the GambaRossa vine; Grapes from other non-aromatic black grape varieties suitable for cultivation in the Piedmont Region can contribute up to a maximum of 10%, jointly or separately. Before being put on the market, a minimum of 20 months of aging must elapse and 30 months for the Riserva version. Its production is allowed in the municipalities of Calosso, Costigliole d'Asti and Castagnole delle Lanze
Today there are approximately 15 hectares of vineyards in total, with 14 wine producing companies and various farms.. Upon visual examination the Calosso shows a beautiful ruby red color on average; it is a very particular wine on the nose, characterized by intense spicy and balsamic aromas reminiscent of green pepper and other oriental essences, with a fruitiness that is mainly expressed in the aromas of jam and cherries in alcohol. On the palate it is expressed with a soft tannin and a medium body, given by the low alcohol content (12,5%/14% Vol) which gives the wine an incredible drinkability. An elegant, long-lived wine of great complexity that has an aging potential of 10-20 years, depending on the vintage.