Societa Agricola Montalbera

Societa Agricola Montalbera is a family-owned wine estate situated in Piedmont. It was founded in Castiglione Tinella, Langhe, in the early part of the 20th Century and today is renowned for its range of regional Piedmontese wines, particularly its portfolio of Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato wines.

Since the 1980s, the founding Morando family has gradually increased its vineyard holdings and now cultivates approximately 175 hectares (432 acres) of vines in Monferrato and Langhe. Approximately 82ha (203 acres) of the estate's Castagnole Monferrato vineyards are planted to Ruchè, an obscure local grape variety. The remaining hectarage is planted to a combination of Barbera, Grignolino and Viognier.

Montalbera's premier Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato wine, Laccento, is created from 25-year-old Ruchè vines grown on the south-facing slopes of the Bricco Montalbera hillside. The grapes are left on the vine until they are just overripe and are then harvested by hand.

In Langhe, the 15-ha (37-acre) Castiglione Tinella vineyard sits at an altitude of 1575ft (480m) above sea level and is planted to Moscato Bianco. These Moscato Bianco vines are the source of the Montalbera San Carlo Moscato d'Asti DOCG wine named for the nearby San Carlo church.

In 2007, Societa Agricola Montalbera also purchased a 3-ha (7-acre) Nebbiolo vineyard in La Morra for the production of Barolo. It also cultivates an additional 4ha (10 acres) of Nebbiolo vines in the Barbaresco appellation.