In 2000, Paolo De Marchi took over another winery, Villa Sperino, located in the village of Lessona, 20 kilometers east of the provincial capital Biella. This marked De Marchi’s return to the origins of his family’s winemaking tradition, as the estate had already belonged to them in the 19th century.
Even after ten years, the estate and its vineyards still feel like an enchanted fairy-tale castle. More than 150 vintages of wine are resting in the cellar!!! In the old library, we found bundles wrapped under layers of dust several centimeters thick, containing old labels, the oldest dating back to 1865. We could hardly believe our eyes. Of the once approximately 40,000 hectares of vineyards in the region, only about 40 hectares remain today; the rest is completely forested. During walks through parts of the forests, the old vineyards were still clearly visible.
Paolo De Marchi reactivated nearly 10 hectares of land at the winery. Thanks to his expertise in vines, grape varieties, and soils, as well as the active support of his talented son Luca, the first grapes were vinified as early as 2004. The Uvaggio wines, which have their own D.O.C., mainly consist of the grape varieties Nebbiolo (called Spanna there), Vespolina, and Bonarda. From the young vines, a delicious rosé wine called “Rosa del Rosa” is produced.