Ratti

Domain

The story begins with Renato Ratti, born in Italy in 1934. He left to study in Brazil where he learned and was in charge of producing Vermouth and sparkling wines for Cinzano in Sao Paolo. He returned to Piedmont in 1965 and purchased his first vineyard in the historic area of Marcenasco to produce Barolo. In 1969, his cousin and oenologist Massimo Martinelli joins him. Together, they created the perfect vinification technique: they shortened the fermentation and maceration periods and reduced barrel ageing to two years. In the 1970s, the Ratti estate expanded and acquired vineyards producing the two crus Conca and Rocche around La Morra. The old “Annunziata” abbey was transformed into a museum, known today as “The Renato Ratti Musuem of the wines of Alba”. In between the old walls of this abbey, Renato has collected various objects and documents to tell the region’s wine and vineyard story. After Renato’s death in 1988, his son Pietro took over. His goal is to develop and restore the vineyard, continuing the search for unique areas of the various grape varieties. Today, the estate covers an area of 35 hectares divided into 6 different vineyards: Colombé, Battaglione, Ochetti, Marcenasco, Conca and Rocche dell’Annunziata.  The domain uses traditional methods and applies certain biodynamic principles: the vineyard workers wear cotton gloves because the indigenous yeasts on the surface of the grapes are essential to the production of their wines, and the wines are always bottled during the full moon.