Carussin

Next to the pretty Asti village of San Marzano Oliveto lies the closed Valle (dei) Asinari, so named after the Marchese di Marzano family who once owned the land. Today, approx. 13 ha of it is owned & farmed by Bruna Ferro & her husband Luigi Garberoglio, their two sons Matteo & Luca; another 3 ha of Nizza Monferrato (Barbera) vines belongs to Luigi’s family (that he currently blends into Asinoi). 80% of the family farm is devoted to growing organic, biodynamic Barbera d’Asti, the rest is planted to mainly Moscato!

Bruna’s 4th generation family herald from nearby Calosso (roman Callocius), & it was they who bought the Cà di Carussin farm along with 4ha in 1921. They started vinifying the grapes soon after, in 1927, with the obligatory wheat & maize planted between the rows! Skip forward to the 1960s when Bruna recalls selling their wine in demi-john to Milanese private customers, who thirst for their Carussin wine increased to 12 demi-johns/family/annum by the 1980s! In the meantime they’d also developed a market in Genova. Alas in 1988, Bruna’s father Carlo Ferro at only 55 yo, leaving her to continue the good work. Apparently each generation is obliged to add 3.5ha of vines!

Luigi & Bruna’s sons, Matteo & Luca, now work alongside their parents. Luca is a graduate of Alba’s Umberto 1 Enological School, & has a debolezza/weakness for making (delicious) beer, as well as wine! The wines are mainly vinified in a combination of fibre glass & stainless-steel tanks, with sulphur dioxide used sparingly!