Forteto della Luja Farming Company #97
A glimpse of the company history
Forteto della Luja is an agricultural holding and a family business currently owned by Giovanni Scaglione, who inherited it from his father Giancarlo. The company is located in Loazzolo, the Province of Asti, in the town that has Italy‘s smallest DOC and is also an Oasis affiliated to the WWF.
The farm first appears in the land registers in 1826, but the stone wine cellars and some of the farm buildings date back to the end of the eighteenth century.
The name of the winery, Forteto della Luja, derives from the name of the woodlands traversed by the Rio Luja that surround the vineyards. The company has been documented since 1926, while the stone cave-cellar and part of the winery’s buildings date back to 1700.
Business development
Up to 1985, Forteto della Luja was mostly producing grapes for sale, and only a small quantity was used to make wines that were consumed by the family. The grapes grown in the Forteto della Luja vineyards were highly valued by the buyers and won lots of awards for their excellent quality. In 1985 Forteto della Luja Moscato began to produce wines from over-ripened Moscato grapes. This production launched the traditional late harvest winemaking method of Loazzolo region, which was later registered as a D.O.C, which is currently the smallest registered designation of origin in ltaly.
Loazzolo: destination and terroir
Loazzolo is a small village located at the altitude of 600 meters above sea level, on the border between the Langa Astigiana and the Langa Albese. Between woods and vineyards, on steep hills, Loazzolo offers remarkable views between the old houses made of squared sandstone blocks that still preserve the charm of the 19th century.
Thanks to this extraordinary geographic location, it benefits from a unique microclimate. The calcareous marly soils provide the typicality of the wines produced in this area. Vineyards are never weeded and no type of fertilizer is used.
Wines
Loazzolo is renowned for a very particular wine, i.e. the passito di Moscato vendemmia tardiva (late vintage Moscato raisin wine), produced only in this area, boasting less than five hectares and only eight passionate producers. This soft, smooth late harvest wine born in the Loazzolo hills has a very ancient history. Famous passito di Moscato wines produced by Forteto della Luja winery: Piasa Rischei Loazzolo D.O.C. This wine is fruit forward, rich, ripe, boasting apricot notes. The Moscato base is evident and is enhanced by spicy and roasted notes. Rich and creamy on the palate, it is sweet, with a refreshing finish of almond, spice and citrus. A pleasing wine that lingers with an echo of vanilla and white chocolate. lt is naturally long lasting and can be put down for a number of years. The producer calls it a “meditation wine”, best enjoyed at 8-12 °C in long stem crystal glasses.
WWF Oasis
Since 2007, the Forteto della Luja vineyards have been acknowledged as an affiliate WWF Oasis, and in 2011 they became a Didactic Centre of the Università di Scienze Gastronomiche di Pollenza. The head of the nature oasis is the eco-vintner Giovanni Scaglione, the owner of Forteto della Luja Farming Company.
