Ferraris Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato - A Pleasure From Piedmont

A taste of an exclusive grape from Piedmont, three excellent Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato wines from Luca Ferraris.

Ruchè (pronounced "Roo-kay") is a little know grape outside of Piedmont. That likely has a lot to do with its scarcity. In 1988 there were only 10 hectares planted (about 25 acres). By 2016 that number was up to 136 hectares (about 335 acres) - a decent increase for sure, but still one of the more exclusive wines produced in Italy.

The Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato appellation was granted DOC status in 1987 and then DOCG status in 2011 and covers parts of 7 municipalities in Piedmont. In terms of taste, some have compared it to Nebbiolo but we found it to have an excellent character all of its own. Today we'll be checking out three different versions from the winery of Luca Ferraris: the Ferraris Sant'Eufemia Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato, the Ferraris Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato Clasic, and the Ferraris Vigna del Parocco Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato.

First up is the Ferraris Sant'Eufemia Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato which is 100% Ruchè aged for a short time in stainless steel and another 3 months in bottle before release. The wine has 3 g/L of residual sugar and 13.5% alcohol. Sample submitted for review. All of these wines will be hard to find but this one has been as low as $18.

The 2017 Ferraris Sant'Eufemia Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato begins with a very pleasing aroma of black cherry, dried herbs and light spice notes along with secondary notes of licorice, plums and roses. The light to medium-bodied wine tastes quite quaffable but also has some nice complexity to it. Many of the same flavors carry over from the nose with a bit more spice in the mouth. With excellent balance, this is a really beautiful wine to drink. Dry, slightly chewy tannins lead into the elegant finish. This is a really lovely wine!

Ready to buy? Check your local retailers.

Next up is the Ferraris Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato Clasic, which is also 100% Ruchè. This one is aged for 6-9 months in big oak barrels and another 3 months in bottle before release. The wine has residual sugar of just 1.17 g/L and 15% alcohol. Sample submitted for review. This one should be a little easier to find and has been spotted as low as $19.

The 2017 Ferraris Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato Clasic begins with a pleasing aroma of spice, plum, violets and more. The spiciness continues when tasting this wine and is joined by dark fruit and other oaky flavors. It also features a substantial, chewy mouthfeel. This is the only one of the three wines aged in oak and it shows a different, but also very tasty side of the variety. It ends with a dry, long and grippy finish.

Ready to buy? Check your local retailers.

Lastly, we have the Ferraris Vigna del Parocco Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato, which again is 100% Ruchè, this time aged in stainless steel. Sample submitted for review. The wine is named after the vineyard of the Parish Priest Don Giacoma (now owned by Luca Ferraris), who saw the potential in and tended to the Ruchè vines of the parish starting in the 1960s. It has 15% alcohol and is available for as low as $28 (Saturday Splurge).

The 2017 Ferraris Vigna del Parocco Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato begins with an excellent aroma of blackberry, plum, cola, licorice, violets and spice. Tasting the wine reveals a smooth, wonderful almost dusty mouthfeel and fabulous balance. It features similar flavors to the nose, but with lots of layers that continue to develop through the mid-palate and into the finish. It ends dry and long. Another lovely wine!

Ready to buy? Check your local retailers.