Under its location in the Canale, outside the famous areas of Piedmont, Matteo Correggia managed to produce some fabulous wines based on Barbera and Nebbiolo. The special soil conditions in Roero, west of the river Tanaro, with somewhat sandy soil – give incredibly soft and accessible Nebbiolos. The house is today among the absolute best in the area.
When the young Matteo Correggia took over the land and vineyards that had belonged to the family for five generations in 1985, it also heralded a style change. The anonymous existence as a grape supplier ended when in 1987, the first wine was bottled under its name. Strongly inspired and helped by Elio Altare, modern cultivation methods and technology have since been introduced, and from the 20 hectares of vineyards, the family currently has at its disposal, approx. 130,000 bottles of a juicy and well-made wine.
Correggia’s single-field Barbera called Marun has repeatedly received three glasses (highest award) from the wine guide Gambero Rosso, and it is a wine of absolute distinction. The yield is approx of 1 kg of grapes per plant. Nebbiolo d’Alba Val dei Preti was the first top Nebbiolo from the house, and later another Nebbiolovin, Roero Riserva Ròche d’Ampsèj, joined. The nickname “Nebbiolo d’Alba” on Val dei Preti is an indication that it was difficult to sell wine under the Roero name in 1987. Therefore, Matteo Correggia initially chose to sell his Nebbiolo, which otherwise comes from Roero, as “Nebbiolo d ‘Alba Val dei Preti.’ But when Matteo in 1996 was going to make a new top Nebbiolo from Roero, it was time to profile the Roero name. It must be said to have succeeded with his Roero Riserva Ròche d’Ampsèj. Today, Val dei Preti runs like a Roero. The harvest yield on both Ròche d’Ampsèj and Val dei Preti is very low at approx. 0.8 kg pr. plant.
After Matteo’s untimely death in 2001, his widow Ornella has taken over. She has done this in an extremely convincing way, well helped by the house’s oenologist – the sympathetic and talented Luca Rastagno.