The dedication and talent of the Anfosso family has underpinned a recent rediscovery of the Rossese di Dolceacqua appellation. The appellation and Rossese variety are historically significant and noble - many have written about the parallels of Dolceacqua to Burgundy and Côte-Rôtie. Rossese is a site specific, thin skinned grape as Pinot Noir is.

Most production is labeled under the family's Tenuta Anfosso label that father, Alessandro manages. However, some wine is now bottled under a second label owned by his son, Lorenzo, called “E Prie”. It means “the stones” and refers to the hand-built stone terraces that support the vines.

Driving in from Barolo (just 2-3 hours away), the mountains quickly disappear as the coastline emerges. The French Riviera is less than a 30 minute drive. It is here that the appellation begins; a steep valley winding back into foothills of the Alps.

It’s obvious that the land is special with one look at the steep, terraced vineyards that line the valley walls and demand a painstaking approach of working entirely by hand.\

Cooling breeze coming from the mountains and off the ocean help to define the growing season. Elevation and ruggedness increase as one moves farther inland along the narrow valley floor. 5 miles inland, in the heart of the appellation, is where the Anfosso family lives. It is here that Rossese is most at home, offering a stony, balanced and complex expression of the ancient flysch soil (marl and sedimentary sandstone with varying concentrations of sand and clay).

The family’s land is primarily at elevations over 300 meters, in the Poggio Pini, Fulavin and Luvaira vineyards. They also own a newer parcel in the upper portion of Poggio Pini that will be ready in a few years. Alessandro (father) and Lorenzo (son) are excited because the plot will receive a few additional hours of sunlight per day yet will be cooler overall.

Their plots are in the finest part of the appellation, and many vines are more than 100 years old. It’s the equivalrnty of having prime land in Vosne Romanee. Their Rossese Bianco di San Biagio vines are a remarkable 170 years old and on original rootstock.

In the vineyards, organic viticulture is practiced and grass grows uninhibited between the vines, typically cut 3 times per year. Lorenzo explained how ample grass cover moderates soil humidity, encourages biodiversity and produces grapes with higher acid that is better integrated. There is no set regimen for soil nourishment, but they have used natural algae at times to support topsoil health. Each January, superficial surface roots that grow due to the dry growing season are cut to encourage a deep root system.

A typical harvest is at the end of September and decisions are made based on feel. When grape seeds go from pale brown to dark brown, they believe that a balance of sugar and acid has been achieved. That balance is central to everything they seek to achieve in their wines.

In the cellar, wines ferment with native yeasts for 10-15 days in stainless steel, with at least 30% whole bunches placed at the bottom of the tank (a higher percentage for single vineyard wines). Over time, the stems gently mix with the must towards the top. Malolactic fermentation is spontaneous.

The family believes stem inclusion expresses the true terroir of the region. Stems also naturally balance the wines by decreasing natural alcohol by .2 - .3 degrees, regulating fermentation temperature and slowing down fermentation speed. This effect helps the native yeasts work more efficiently and in a balanced manner. They never see stuck fermentations.

In fact, fermentation typically begins after only 3-4 hours, with no pre-maceration cold soak. Wines are aged in stainless steel, inox, or old oak barrel, depending on vintage, plot and vine age. The Epoca (Rossese Bianco di San Biagio) and Poggio Pini bottles are uniquely aged in older Acacia barrels.

Amid a surge of more modern approaches, the Anfosso family is uniquely steadfast in their commitment to difficult techniques such as whole cluster and spontaneous fermentation.

The resulting Rossese wines have the lifted transparency and zen-like harmony of fine Burgundy with a true Dolceacqua signature of black pepper and a briary earthiness. While some vintages express elegance through coiled energy and an electric feeling, other vintages express it trough an inward, pensive nature; slowly unfurling nuance, but radiating it with time.