Andrea Tirelli

Andrea, how did your story start in the world of wine?

The company was my grandfather’s, which I unfortunately never knew, and was run by my uncle. It was a farm where in addition to the vineyards there were various crops (wheat, alfalfa, oats, orchard…), so he never got to try to bottle.

Since I was a child, as soon as I could (not living in the place of the Company), I came to help my uncle in various tasks. The moments that most fascinated me, however, were those that concerned work in the vineyard, especially the harvest. It was possible to take over the company when my uncle (no heirs) retired. I decided to base the company solely and exclusively on the management of grapes, keeping old vines and making new plants always with native vines.

Tell us about your territory

My company is located on the hills of Tortona in Piedmont, and we are lucky to have a very heterogeneous terrain. Rolling hills composed of clay, marl, limestone, fossils, mainly mixed with each other The microclimate is really special because our territory is in a position more unique than rare: surrounded by the Alps to the west and north, from the Apennines to the south and east, subject to a strong marine influence thanks to the short distance from the Gulf of Genoa and the sea winds that blow almost constantly from the south. The result is an optimal microclimate for viticulture. Suffice it to say that the first wine settlement in the area dates back to the 49 somebody. A.C. attributed to the Ligurian Celts

What are the wines you produce?

I produce barbera, freisa, cortese and timorasso – I have not chosen but I have kept the tradition of cultivating all native vines.

Territory – vine – winemaker – These are the three factors that make my wines unique. Passion in the management of the vineyard, total respect for nature, patience and waiting in the cellar without forcing neither chemical nor mechanical on the wines.

What is the most difficult and frustrating part of your job as a winemaker?

I consider this work as a fortune and a choice of life, where the various difficulties are canceled by satisfactions. Difficult and frustrating are adjectives that I can attribute to the bureaucratic management of the company that takes away a lot of time that I could dedicate to the vineyard, the winery and my customers and secondly to the increasingly frequent climatic adversities (spring frosts, hail, drought …)

What is your philosophy about vineyard?

I personally work both in the vineyard and in the cellar with the least possible impact on the environment, making the surrounding place in harmony with nature: I prefer manual work to mechanical work, therefore less use of agricultural machinery – land management without fertilization but with manure of various herbs, always native, to maintain the biodiversity of the territory – I do not use synthetic chemistry, thus seeking a balance. The characteristics of all the vintages, I interpret them as if it were a story or a photograph of the entire year just passed. The vintage 2020 was very difficult and demanding because of a bad hailstorm in early July, I had to work harder than usual to bring the few grapes left with satisfactory quality to the winery.

And what happens when the grapes reach the winery?

Fermentation takes place with indigenous yeasts and always depends on the current year, it can last 15 days on one wine or two years on another, also we do not perform neither clarifications and nor filtrations.

My wines are not homologated, but they are the expression of territory, where every vintage, every vine and every single bottle is different, hoping to give pleasure and emotions to those who drink them.

What dishes do your wines match?

I would match them to a table of carefree friends. Wines made with this philosophy are not considered drinks by me, but real nutrients that are good for both the spirit and the body.