A Rebirth in the Heart of Piedmont
In red-dominated Piedmont, where Nebbiolo reigns supreme, Chardonnay has always played a marginal role, often vinified in an international way, with long aging in wood and opulent structures. But Claudio Viberti wanted to do something different.
"I didn't like Chardonnay as I knew it. I found it too loaded, too woody, too far from our idea of finesse. So I decided to remake it in my own way. It had to be pure, vertical, with a precise identity." - Claudio Viberti
And so in 2018, Rinato was born, his uniquely styled Chardonnay, a reinterpretation that aims to combine the depth of Chardonnay with the minerality and elegance of the Langhe terroir.
The story of Rinato begins long before 2018. In the 1980s, Claudio's father had planted Chardonnay in an area traditionally dedicated to Barbera, between Costa di Vergne and Cascina Nuova. The wine that came out of it was important, rich, with an international flair.
But in 2008, when Claudio took over the winery, he decided that that Chardonnay did not represent his vision. So, the vineyard was renovated and rethought, with a new planting that would reflect a different idea of this grape variety.