Tasting Notes: On the nose the Ruché di Castagnole Monferrato is a very expressive red that bursts with white pepper and floral overtones. One the palate you will find crushed wild berries, strawberries, blackberries and hints of fennel. Medium to light-bodied, this nimble red is perfect for vegetarian dishes, honey-roasted carrots, grilled zucchini or Eggplant alla Norma.
Estate History: Eugenio Gatti’s La Miraja estate is nestled within the original castle of Castagnole Monferrato, constructed in the 11th century and retrofitted to serve as a cellar in the 1400s. There he produces Barbera d’Asti, Grignolino, and his fabled Ruché di Castagnole Monferrato. Planted in 1972, this is the oldest vineyard of Ruché in existence. DOCG status came in 2010, making this one of the newer ‘top’ wines of Piemonte. Ruche di Castagnole Monferrato can only come from seven communes in the Asti province: Grana, Montemagno, Portacomaro, Refrancore, Scurzolengo, Viarigi and the Castagnole Monferrato which gives the DOCG its name. The law states that 90% of the wine must be made from Ruché grapes, the rest can be any combination of Barbera and Brachetto. Gatti’s is a pure expression of 100% Ruché.
The Ruche grape, which is also sometimes named Rouchet or Roche, is something of an enigma even in Piedmont. There are conflicting tales of how it arrived in the region's vineyards: some say it is an indigenous vine, some believe it was brought there from France. Whatever the truth, Ruche vines have been grown and used to produce wine in Piedmont for hundreds of years, although the wines have only just begun to make their way outside the Monferrato area. At the dawn of the new millennium there were just 125 acres of Ruche planted, making this one of the most exclusive wines made under any Italian wine title, DOC or DOCG. La Miraja produces a scant 840 cases of this wine every year.
