A family-owned winery, Garrone Evasio & Figlio is today run by grandsons Dante and Marco. Their 14 hectares of vineyards are located in the gorgeous sweeping hills of Monferrato Astigiano, spread across the municipalities of Grana, Montemagno and Castagnole Monferrato in Piedmont. You may be familiar with the nearest city, Asti, which famed for its Spumante (sparkling wine). Garrone, however, predominantly make red wine with Barbera D’Asti their signature variety.
Garrone have a wonderful range of wines and still work with old vines that were once out of fashion but thanks to them and a few others are now making a recovery. Ruche is one such variety with a structure as rugged as its history.
I met with Dante when I first happened upon their winery on a drive out from Asti and have since developed a strong friendship with him. That first meeting/wine tasting was just hours of great convivial conversation. Dante is an intelligent, fascinating man and a passionate wine maker above all else.
Should you be lucky enough to one day pay Garrone a visit, get him to show you around their old wine cellar built in 1920. There are still the old relics and winemaking machinery from a bye gone era to give you a sense of the tradition that flows in their blood and in their wine.
