The hairpin bends of the road that climbs up to Seirole, a village near Santo Stefano Belbo, passes through a different landscape to the vine-dominated Bassa Langa. This is the south-western border between the Langhe and Monferrato: vines alternate with woodland and the farmhouses have not changed for centuries. Nevertheless, this is still wine country: the soil and the microclimate are ideal for Moscato d’Asti, and certain estates boast centuries of winemaking history.
One of these is Marco Capra, which was already being run by a Capra – Tumasin – when the wine was still called Sanmarco. Founded in 1945, today the winery has a highly personal style: the third generation gave it its name, and the fourth is commemorated in the design of labels and the names of bottles (‘Seitremenda’ and ‘Testanvisca’: “hot head” in the local dialect), as the family’s two sons tell us.
Equipped with the latest technologies yet faithful to traditional winemaking processes, the Marco Capra winery is characterised by its respectful approach to the environment, with manual harvesting and the reintroduction of native grape varieties such as Nascetta.
Ultravino is the UK exclusive importer
Wines:
Alta Langa Spumante Sei Tremenda Extra Brut