Castello di Verduno
カステッロ・ディ・ヴェルドゥーノ
A 16th-century castle estate crafting Barolo at home and prized Barbaresco from Rabajà.
Castello di Verduno is a historic Piedmontese estate centered on a 16th-century castle in the village of Verduno, on the northwestern edge of the Barolo zone. The Cerrato family began building the castle in the early 1500s; the Burlotto family, already established wine producers in Verduno since the 19th century, acquired it in 1909, and Commendatore Giovanni Battista Burlotto restored both castle and cellars starting in the 1950s. Today the estate is run by his descendant Gabriella Burlotto together with her husband Franco Bianco, whose family brought a crucial asset to the marriage: prized parcels in the Rabajà cru of Barbaresco, four communes away from Verduno itself. This is why Castello di Verduno, though headquartered outside the official Barbaresco zone, produces one of that appellation's most celebrated wines. Winemaker Mario Andrion, at the helm since 2000 and previously trained on Pinot Noir in Oregon, favors organic viticulture, indigenous-yeast fermentation, extended macerations of up to 90 days in open wooden tini, and aging exclusively in large Slavonian and Austrian oak botti, with no fining or filtration. The estate is also a leading champion of Verduno Pelaverga, a rare, fragrant local red grape it has helped rescue from near-extinction. Note: Castello di Verduno is a distinct, unrelated legal entity from Castello di Neive, another Piedmont producer with a similarly named estate.
www.cantinecastellodiverduno.it/en/ ↗Cuvées
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Who Is This For?
For collectors who want both traditionalist Barolo and a rare, cru-driven Barbaresco from Rabajà, plus curious drinkers exploring the endangered Pelaverga grape.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Castello di Verduno located in Barbaresco?
- No. The estate's castle and cellars are in Verduno, one of the Barolo communes, roughly four communes away from the official Barbaresco zone. It nonetheless owns and farms parcels in Barbaresco's celebrated Rabajà cru, the source of its acclaimed Barbaresco Rabajà.
- How did Castello di Verduno come to own vineyards in Rabajà?
- The Rabajà holdings came through the marriage of Gabriella Burlotto, whose family had owned the Verduno castle since 1909, to Franco Bianco, whose family held vineyards in Barbaresco's Rabajà cru.
- What is the estate's winemaking philosophy?
- Winemaker Mario Andrion, at the estate since 2000, favors organic farming, wild-yeast fermentation, macerations of up to 90 days in open wooden tini, and aging solely in large Slavonian and Austrian oak casks, with no fining or filtration.
- What is Verduno Pelaverga?
- A rare, aromatic native red grape that was almost lost to extinction. Castello di Verduno is one of its foremost champions, producing an award-winning varietal bottling called Basadone.
- Has Castello di Verduno won major awards?
- Yes. Gambero Rosso has awarded Tre Bicchieri to several of its wines, including the Barolo Monvigliero Riserva and the Barbaresco Rabajà Riserva 2016.