Casa E. di Mirafiore, beautifully positioned directly in the heart of Piedmont’s wine region, was founded in the late 1800s by Emanuele Alberto Guerrieri, Count of Mirafiore and son of the first King of Italy. Mirafiore began with full force under the Count’s leadership overseeing vineyards and a winery, constructing a village for its community of employees and building farmhouses, cellars, stables and a church on the property. The Mirafiore manifesto is all about the community of people. The Count’s focus, as it is today, was on wines of the highest quality including Barolo, the “King of Wines, the Wine of Kings,” a term coined because of the estate’s history with the Royal family. Mirafiore also was home to the production of the first concrete barrels in Europe.

The Land

With a long history that included lying dormant during the Great Depression, Mirafiore has 50+ acres of vineyards within the towns of Serralunga d’Alba (in the Fontanafredda subzone), and also Barolo. These are the lands that belonged to the owners of the estates since 1878. Mirafiore has two of the greatest Crus in the entire Langhe area: Lazzarito and Paiagallo that are on the label of their greatest Barolo Crus, and it has some of the best land qualities. They include middle-and high-hill vineyards, with an altitude between 1,000-1,500 feet above sea level; south and southwest exposure; and slopes that are best suited to the each grape variety. The Langhe area in 2014 was named a World UNESCO Heritage site.

Its field and winemaking practices, like they were from the beginning, are organic. The focus of winemaking has been, and remains, all about precision, balance and elegance in each wine.

Culture and Community

Mirafiore has a steadfast focus on its community, culture, land and culinary prowess. They created the Mirafiore Foundation which is housed within the estate to promote cultural growth among adults and children. The same year in 2010 they inaugurated the Wood of Thoughts that occupies more than 25 acres of woods and remains a silent and meditative space for reading and taking in the peacefulness. The estate is a full-service property including two hotels and three restaurants bringing its exquisite culinary and wine experiences to its varied clientele.

Wines from Mirafiore

The style of Mirafiore wines reflects traditional winemaking methods while combining modern techniques. Mirafiore uses only indigenous yeasts and frequent pumping over, the latter helping with the extraction of tannins and color. The winery engages in longer periods of maceration on the skins. This gives a higher amount of extraction and therefore color. Lastly, they use long ageing, large oak barrels and concrete tanks that represent its traditional winemaking styles. The key grape varieties at Mirafiore include Dolcetto, Nebbiolo and Barbera. Nebbiolo is the grape used to make Barolo. Here following is a great representation of their wines which pair well with hard Italian cheese, meat dishes, classic style pizzas and pasta with a wild boar sauce.  

Mirafiore Dolcetto D’Alba DOC

Produced from 100% Dolcetto, this wine hails from the region of Serralunga d’Alba with southeast and southwest facing vineyards. It ferments in stainless steel and then concrete tanks before aging for two months in large- and medium-size oak barrels. It then rests in the bottle for another six months. Beautifully silky, it displays notes of blueberries, black cherries and herbs. Its medium body showcases soft tannins. Enjoy within one to two years.

Mirafiore Barbera d’Alba Superiore DOC

Also from the village of Serralunga and on southeast, southwest facing vineyards, the Barbera Superiore is fermented in stainless steel tanks. From there it goes into large- and medium-size oak barrels where it rests for one year. It then is transferred to bottle for another six months of resting. The wine showcases us great acidity and flavor. The mouthfeel displays notes of blackberries, mocha, cocoa and coffee notes. Full bodied, the tannins are present yet soft. They end seamlessly with a fresh acidity. It shows best when consumed within two to three years.

Mirafiore Langhe Nebbiolo DOC

The vineyards in which the Nebbiolo grows are east and southeast facing. Its fermentation and maceration are in stainless steel tanks from about 30-45 days in order to attain the optimized level of color extraction. Its aging is like the Barbera – 12 months in medium-to-large oak barrels and an additional six months in bottle. Profusely aromatic with hints of spice, its flavor profile is of nutmeg, tobacco, plum, blackberry and balsamic notes. Its tannins are ever-present and velvety showing that it has great potential to age five to seven years. 

Mirafiore Barolo DOCG

Barolo is the King of wine, and Mirafiore’s Barolo shows us why. From some of the best medium to upper slopes facing southwest, the wine comes from Serralunga d’Alba from where some of the most famous Barolo Crus come. Traditional fermentation and maceration occur in stainless steel for about 40-55 days and then ages in medium-to-large oak barrels for two years. The wine then rests in the bottle for a longer aging capacity to develop and round out the flavors. Full bodied and intense, it showcases great power. Its aromas are bold and bright with a taste profile of vanilla spice, velvety black fruits and liquorice. A hint of black pepper and refreshing acidity round out the ending. It will drink well for five to ten years.

Mirafiore Lazzarito Barolo DOCG

Lazzarito is one of the Cru vineyard sites and one of the most important and prestigious of all the vineyard sites in Serralunga d’Alba. It faces south to southwest and sits mid-hillside. Like its other reds, fermentation occurs in stainless tanks until the optimal color, brix (sugar) and alcohol levels are achieved. They then transfer the wine into large oak barrels for two years. It is then refined in bottle to attain its optimal flavor profile. It has a voluptuous mouthfeel with well-integrated tannins. Bold, it gives us plum, cinnamon, allspice and herb notes. Its tannins are quite present which shows us its aging potential of 10+ years.

Mirafiore Paiagallo Barolo DOCG

The Paiagallo Barolo comes to us from the La Villa vineyard site within the Barolo region, sitting mid-hillside and facing east-southeast. Fermentation occurs in stainless steel tanks and maceration lasts about 20-30 days for full color extraction. After it undergoes malolactic fermentation the wine ages in large French oak barrels for two years. It then further achieves refinement from another year in bottle, before it is released to the market. What we experience here is a full bodied, structured, dense wine with robust tannins that show its power. However the mouthfeel is elegant and full of plums, black cherries, dusty mocha and herbs. This wine has great longevity lasting for 10+ years like the Lazzarito.

Mirafiore Barolo Riserva DOCG

The Riserva is one of the top wines coming from both the Serralunga d’Alba and Barolo vineyard sites that are some of the best south-southwest facing. It is a blend of wines from these two different vineyard sites. Like the other wines, it ferments in stainless steel. However, its aging is different because it is a Riserva. To be labeled a Riserva the wine must undergo five years of aging. Thus, the Mirafiore Barolo Riserva ages in medium and large oak barrels for three years. Then it remains a year in stainless steel tanks and another year in bottle. Due to its longer maceration, the color is a deep ruby red with aromas backed by dark berry fruits and spice. The palate shows us great weight and silky sweet tannins that marry well with its acidity and nutmeg, allspice and black berry notes. This beauty will age seamlessly for up to 15 years.

Learn more here about Mirafiore.

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