The shadow of Langhe looms large over Piedmont. For decades, the global wine market has been conditioned to look at Barolo and Barbaresco as the sole arbiters of Nebbiolo excellence, while the left bank of the Tanaro River—Roero—was left in the dust, pigeonholed as a cheap, fresh white wine region.

 

We sit down with Giovanni Correggia to unpack the raw reality of farming the steep, sandy hills of Canale. Giovanni’s father, Matteo, was the ultimate outsider of the "Barolo Boys" era—a game-changer who looked at a impoverished region focused entirely on quantity and chose to gamble on hyper-focused quality. When Matteo tragically passed away in 2001, Giovanni’s mother took the reins of the estate while the kids were still young, preserving a stubborn legacy of independence. In this conversation, we pull back the curtain on the systemic and climatic pressures facing Roero today. Giovanni breaks down why his winery willingly sacrifices massive profit margins and immediate sales cycles by refusing to label their wines under the easier, higher-yielding Langhe DOC. We dive into the physical nightmare of farming 100% organic vineyards in intense humidity, the geological freak show of growing vines on a 3-million-year-old ocean floor that turns to baby powder in the summer, and the lost art of dry Brachetto paired with the most frustrating food on the planet: artichokes. This isn't a corporate pitch for Piedmont luxury; it's a look at the sweat, stubbornness, and deep structural discipline required to keep an underdog appellation alive.

 

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Instagram: @reluctantsomm

Website: https://www.thereluctantsomm.com

Giovanni's Instagram: @giovanni.correggia.wine

Wineries Website: https://www.matteocorreggia.com/en/homepage/

Importer: https://www.giulianaimports.com

Distributor: https://grapevinewinebrokers.com 

 

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