The vineyard sources for this wine are in the villages of Castagnole Lanze and Coazzolo, two towns right on the eastern outskirts of the Barbaresco DOCG zone. Conditions here are similar to those in Burgundy: it’s a “continental” climate, and the soils contain mostly clay and limestone with some sandstone. There is a palpable mineral component to the wine, which resembles a village-level Chablis in style.

The De Forvilles began producing wine in the mid-1800s, when Gioachino De Forville made Nebbiolo the family’s focus early on. He was succeeded by his son, Vincenzo, who was followed by his nephew, Paolo, who passed the torch to his daughter, Mafalda, who was followed by her sons and current proprietors, Valter and Paolo Anfosso. 

Crafted from 100% Chardonnay (including some fruit from the family’s 35-year-old “Cascina Buc” vineyard in Castagnole Lanze), this wine is made in a very straightforward manner: Fermentation and aging are in stainless steel. The wine is bottled in the spring of the year following harvest then given several months of bottle age before being shipped to the USA.

In the glass, it’s a pale yellow-gold with flashes of silver and green, with aromas of green and yellow apple, lemon zest, white flowers, crushed oyster shells, and wet stones. It is medium-bodied and has a hint of creaminess, but there’s a spine of minerality and citrusy freshness lending loads of snap. Pair with a seafood risotto or hard Piedmontese cheeses.