You'll find the Abrate Winery in Piedmont, Italy - famous for its' Nebbiolo, Barbera, and Dolcetto grapes.
It was here that Bernardino Abrate founded his winery in 1878. He was the pioneer - the first in our family to go into professional vine growing and wine making.


Having nurtured the vineyards, and developed a flourishing, well-respected Piedmontese winery, Bernadino passed the business on to his son, the Cavaliere Matteo Abrate.


Matteo was, like his father, also successful, and quickly became a well-known wine maker and respected figure in Piedmont. His son Giovanni Battista - the first of the Abrate family to graduate from the Oenological School of Alba, later joined him.


Meanwhile, the winery expanded its market, and Abrate wines were soon enjoyed all over Italy. All was going well, until the winery underwent a period of complex financial difficulty, and the family business was almost destroyed. That is until Giovanni Battista Abrate and his two sons the oenologists Luca and Matteo (both trained at the Oenological School of Alba) came to the rescue.

A delicate balance had to be preserved, so necessary improvements were made in the vineyards and the cellars, while still respecting the traditional wine making procedures. It worked. Giovanni, Luca, and Matteo triumphed, with the creation of quality, distinctive Piedmontese wines - yet with a much more modern appeal.

Our winery today processes only grapes grown in our vineyards, which extend over an area of 10 hectares, in the district of Santa Vittoria, Roero.
It's an important distinction that we don't use any international grape varieties at all at the Abrate winery. All the wines are unblended, using only the traditional grapes of our area.

We tend to be traditional also in the wine making process, and although some new techniques have been introduced, we have done so only after we were convinced that the wine typicality was not compromised.

Our limited production of about 80.000 bottles per year enables us to personally follow every step of the process from the grape to the sales, and in the best traditions of Italian family business the whole family is involved.

We are passionate about our wines, and this is reflected in their high quality and distinctive characteristics.
We are proud to offer you the product of generations of Abrate winemakers, and in particular, to bring you the result of over 100 years of knowledge and tradition from the Abrate family estate.

Ceisa

Nebbiolo d'Alba DOC

This is the finest wine we produce and represents our effort to take on the challenge of producing wines with long-term ageing potential, in an area like Roero which is traditionally known for the production of young wines.
This wine is aged for three years in large oak barrels ('botti').
The vines grow in a rich clay soil, contributing to the intense garnet red colour of this wine, which develops brick hues with ageing.
It is intense and complex on the nose, with notes of dried roses, liquorice, spice and white truffle.
It's a full-bodied, austere wine with a long, lingering finish.

 

Bricco Rotondo

Nebbiolo d'Alba DOC

Aged for one and half years in 'botti', the colour is ruby red with light brick hues -- brighter but less intense than the Ceisa, because of the more sandy and tuffaceous soil of this particular vineyard.
On the other hand, this type of soil develops finer and more delicate floral flavours like violet and rose, and also of wild red berries.
This wine is round, elegant yet lively, with pleasant tannins -- perfect with most Piedmontese food as well as international cuisine.

 

Vigna Tabaria

Reoro Arneis DOC

This wine has a strong personality which makes it distinctive.
The colour is a medium straw with pale green hues that result from harvesting the grapes when perfectly ripe, while avoiding over-ripeness that would compromise the freshness of the wine. This perfect timing and a short skin contact maceration period combine to create the more complex structure of the wine.
The bouquet is multifaceted with flavours of chamomile, sage, and apricot, and it has an interesting bread crust flavour due to the practice of the "elevage sur lis" method of keeping the wine on the lees for a prolonged period of time.
This wine undergoes a complete malolactic fermentation that gives it a very smooth and pleasantly nutty flavour.
It has a long finish, and is surprisingly full bodied due to the alcohol content that reaches 14% in the best vintages, and balanced with the right acidity that keeps it fresh.

 

Castelve'

Barbera d'Alba DOC

This wine is produced with the grapes from the vineyard of the same name. It is delicate and complex and at the same time bold and intense, becoming gentler after a period of ageing.
Aged 16 to 18 months in French barrique and tonneau, the minimal air exchange through the natural wood pores of the barrel, and the transfer of oak tannins to the wine greatly contribute to the final result.
At the end of the ageing period this Barbera is of an intense ruby red colour with cardinal red hues.
It has vibrant flavours of plum, blackberry and spices that mingle well with the light toasted accents conferred by the ageing process.
On the palate, the wine is round and full, with a lively acidity that makes for an appetizing experience.

 
Outin
Roero Arneis DOC

This wine is produced by blending our Arneis grapes -- grown in 4 different vineyards, all located in the comune of Santa Vittoria.
The colour is a light straw with pale green reflections, and less intense compared to Vigna Tabaria.
In this case, only 30% of the pressed grapes undergo skin contact maceration to create a clean, fresh wine which is certainly less powerful that Vigna Tabaria, but nevertheless extremely enjoyable. For the same reason, the malolactic fermentation is discontinued when 30 to 40% of the malic acid has been fermented. The resulting wine is brimming with flavours of orange, lemon and apricot, and it is fruity and refreshingly acidic on the palate.

 
Outin
Barbera d'Alba DOC

This successfully combines the complexity of more serious wines with the freshness of a young wine like "novello".
The colour is intense ruby red, with aromas of plum, blackberry, raspberry and green pepper. It is pure, smooth and fresh with lively fruits. Kept authentic and simple to show the real Barbera character.

 
Costelussi
Vino da tavola

Made of 100% Dolcetto grapes.
After an ageing period of 14 months this wine has a ruby red colour with light brick hues. Aromas of violet, dried leaves, preserved fruits and black pepper all combine in a fine yet intense bouquet.
The palate is dry with a well balanced acidity, and a pleasant, lightly bitter finish reminiscent of liquorice and almond.
It is a simple wine, rustic but elegant - in fact, symbolic of the region where it is made!

 


For any questions about the wines, or for quotations, please contact us directly and we'll answer you within two working days.