Sustainability is close to our hearts: we focus on teamwork, involve local producers and suppliers as much as possible, and use environmentally-friendly products and farming methods, among other things. We believe that this makes a real difference and helps us to offer our guests a unique, authentic and sustainable vacation experience.
That's why, in this blog series, we're featuring our partners and suppliers.
With Mario Olivero, winemaker of the Marchesi Alfieri Winery, we share not only a love of the mountains (and the Valle Maira), but also a love of good wines. The elegant Barbera D'Asti Alfiera has been served as part of our menus for years. We also love to visit the historic winery (established in 1696) in person. In fact, it’s possible to visit both the cellar and the estate and learn more about the impressive history of the Alfieri family.
Dear Mario, can you tell us a little more about yourself and your products?
As you mentioned, I have always had two great passions: the world of wine and the mountains in all their seasons.
I am an oenologist and I have been practicing this profession for more than 30 years. I was lucky enough to live and work in Tuscany, where I mainly worked with Sangiovese grapes for the production of Brunello di Montalcino. Then I decided to return to Piedmont, to this beautiful estate in the hills of Monferrato on the border between Roero and the Langhe, where grape varieties like Barbera and Nebbiolo have found their best expression for centuries.
What makes your wines so special? How long have you been following this philosophy?
The wines we produce must express the terroir and the characteristics of the grape variety of origin in a clear, clean and direct way. Our soils, due to their geological characteristics, allow us to obtain high-quality grapes and therefore are wines with great structure, which can be refined and improved in a bottle for many years. Alfiera is produced in a historic vineyard, characterised by a soil with a perfect blend of sand, silt, clay and limestone, which best expresses our production philosophy: elegance, fruit in balance with the spiciness of oak, great drinkability and the ability to improve over the years with bottle aging.
Sustainability is central to Locanda Mistral and everything we do. What does sustainability mean to you and your historic winery? And how does sustainability affect your wines?
The goal is to preserve the quality potential of our grapes as much as possible by keeping plant protection measures to a minimum.
To do this, we (like everyone who goes to the mountains) need to know both the weather forecasts and the actual microclimatic conditions on the ground. For this reason, we have set up a weather station in the middle of our vineyards, where data is collected daily to help us make more conscious and environmentally-friendly decisions.
Years ago, we eliminated the use of herbicides, replacing them with mechanical and manual interventions, and we have always carried out spontaneous greening of the rows to protect the soils from erosion and keep them aerated and alive.
What are three things our readers should do in the Valle Maira? What should they definitely experience / see / try during their next visit to the Valle Maira?
Come at different times of the year to enjoy the colours and moods that the Valle Maira has to offer in every season. Bike or hike on the Gardetta plateau, climb the Rocca la Meja, visit the frescoes of the late 15th century Flemish painter Hans Clemer in the church of Elva, ...
What do you wish for the future of the Valle Maira?
To remain unchanged and continue the pursuit of sustainable quality tourism.
