Liberty Wines has added two new Piemonte producers to its existing portfolio, both of which were showcasing at the Piemonte tasting yesterday. 

La Prevostura, from the Lessona municipality, is a relatively small estate that was acquired by fellow Liberty’s producer Proprietà Sperino. It has now joined the Liberty portfolio with two wines: Muntacc made with Nebbiolo and Vespolina and Lessona made purely with Nebbiolo.  

Speaking about the decision to acquire the estate, Luca De Marchi, from Proprietà Sperino, told Drinks Retailing that he’d originally planned to merge the two vineyards but ultimately decided to keep them separate.   

“They were so different in identity,” he explained, “La Prevostura is south facing, it has slightly different soil and I think the wines are a little bit easier.”  
 
The vineyard also has lower elevations which leads to more consistent temperatures. That and its clay-rich soil tends to result in higher yields from vintage to vintage, compared to Proprietà Sperino. To him, it made sense to keep them as distinct. 

Also new is Mura Mura, from the Barbaresco municipality, which is joining the Liberty portfolio with five wines: Beatrice made with 100% Timorasso; Garibaldi made with 100% Grigonolino; Mercuzio made with 100% Nebbiolo and Starderi and Roncaglie, both made with 100% Barbaresco.  

On the 100% Grignolino wine, Luigi Coppo, commercial director at Mura Mura, said that it was the estates aim to create “not just an easy drinking wine [which the variety is often known for] but a serious wine, which can be hard work on the vineyard.” 

The most exciting wine however, Coppo continued, is the Roncaglie which comes from the 2021 vintage. “This is made with Vecchie Viti, which means old vines. This has a naturally low yield.” 

On the new producers, Nicholas Moschi, director of buying at Liberty, commented that he was eager to introduce La Prevostura alongside their existing relationship with Proprietà Sperino. “We thought it would be great to have more than one producer from Lessona and it is a different style of wine with potentially a different set of customers.” 

Like De Marchi, Moschi reiterated that the estates and wines are individual, despite being geographically close. “There is a price point difference. Sperino sits at a slightly higher price point because there is more of a complexity,” he explained, adding that La Prevostura is more accessible. 

As for Mura Mura, Moschi said, “Barbaresco is very very important for us,” when it comes to the Italian portfolio at Liberty.