A land designs the roads that cross it. The Monferrato of great wines, praised by the Latin patrician gentes and by the English in the 18th century; the Monferrato of castles and of the infernot, ancient cellars dug out by hand into tuff; the Monferrato that is a UNESCO World Heritage site and has for two centuries focused on identity and modernisation in wine-making. This Monferrato has for decades been the cradle of Vicara, its vineyards, its designs. Every Vicara bottle is the fruit of a union between its strong local roots and a “tailored” method which governs each phase of the production process, from vineyard planting to ageing, inspired by three fundamental, inseparable elements: tradition, innovation and people.

Tradition, born from a great respect for ancient growing and wine-making techniques, and from the optimisation of the native grapes – Barbera, Grignolino, Freisa – from which Vicara produces both its great classics for everyday enjoyment and wines of the highest prestige that win awards year after year. Innovation, resulting in many years of experience in sustainable farming, in elegant mixtures of international grapes and in bold experiments in crus and ageing. And people. The people who work every day in the vineyards and the cellar to make Vicara what it is.

Vicara’s plots of land occupy a total surface area of 70 hectares (33 of which under vine) on the beautiful hills rising between the River Po and the plain of Alessandria. Situated in particularly favourable vine-growing areas, the plots lie within the boundaries of five municipalities – Salabue, Serralunga di Crea, Ozzano, Treville and Rosignano Monferrato – and are separated into three units (Bricco Uccelletta, Carcanara and Vadmon) in accordance with the different geological and pedoclimatic conditions. Spontaneous ground cover is maintained in the vineyards in order to ensure the grapes ripen more evenly and are healthier, and as environmental protection since the need to work or treat the ground is drastically reduced. Pest control is carried out in accordance with natural strategies allowed under integrated pest management rules and organic farming.

Harvesting starts when the grapes have achieved optimum ripeness. In the finest vineyards each row is harvested by hand and in several stages. After sorting on a conveyor belt, the grapes are gently pressed using adjustable crushers that respect each grape variety’s particular characteristics. This is followed by temperature-controlled fermentation to guarantee that the grapes are perfectly vinified to enhance their intense, fruity perfumes. After vinification – which is carried out in Cascina Madonna, Rosignano Monferrato, with a skilful combination of time-honoured traditions and modern technology – the wines are aged in steel or wood (barriques or tonneaux). Subsequently the wines are bottled and, after a requisite period of rest, they are at last released to the world.