Diego Morra

Born and raised in the hill of Monvigliero before the region became the Barolo lover’s darling, Vigneron Diego Morra represents the 3rd generation of grape growers in Verduno. Diego and his wife, Francesca, own 4 hectares and are now the largest landowners in the magical land of Monvigliero.  Pioneers in cultivating Pelaverga, and in the prestigious Monvigliero cru, they own additional land in La Morra, Verduno and Roddi, plus 20 hectares of hazelnut trees.

THE HISTORY

Diego Morra, born in 1984, was raised in the vineyards of his grandfather Domenico and father Antonio, grapegrowers who sold their grapes to other wineries in the area. Thanks to their foresight and determination, today Diego Morra spans 30 hectares of vineyards across several important crus.

The indigenus variety “PELAVERGA PICCOLO from Verduno” started out as the winery’s focus. The family has been promoting the grape since the 1970s, participating in the region’s initiatives to keep it from extinction. Today, Verduno Pelaverga DOC is a highly sought-after and appreciated wine thanks to its elegance, freshness, versatility and spice.

In 2006, Diego took his future into his own hands and created the cellar to bring winemaking in house and the experiment has proven quite fruitful. The winery concentrates on creating high-quality, terroir-driven wines that represent tradition, but are also not beholden to it. “We don’t have a long winemaking tradition to follow. So for us, the classic saying, ‘It’s always been done this way’ has no meaning. We are writing our own story, step by step.”

THE TERROIR

Diego Morra owns 30 hectares that sit about 220-440 meters above sea level, in Verduno, La Morra and Roddi in the northern part of the growing zone. Verduno is particularly renowned for its unique soils, including the typical Sant’Agata Fossile Laminate marl and some sand, silt, and clay. It also has a distinct microclimate featuring cool temps and great ventilation, which guarantees dry and healthy grapes even in the most challenging seasons, and gentle and never-aggressive tannins.

The family owns 4 hectars in Monvigliero, which can be considered a Grand Cru, the finest example of Barolo elegance. The light-colored and loose-textured soils lead to a vast aromatic profile that pairs perfectly with elegance and sometimes austerity. The vineyard is shaped like a natural amphitheater, providing three different exposures, allowing the ability to harvest the best of each vintage.

Diego Morra also owns land in the prestigious San Lorenzo di Verduno, practically a geographical extension of Monvigliero. It has identical soil but less ventilation and a slightly warmer climate due to its southern exposure, resulting in richer and rounder wines.

Massara, Boscatto, and Breri, also located in the Verduno territory, have very different characteristics, and are therefore essential in crafting wines that are the true representation of the Verduno territory when blended in the Barolo del Comune di Verduno.  Massara has excellent soil, leading to elegance, structure and also a richer color; Boscatto’s soils are lighter in color and consistency, but lead to good tannins and aromatic/herbaceous notes; Breri is the natural continuation of Monvigliero, with similar soils, leading to wonderful elegance.

Castagni and Santa Maria are located in La Morra. The soils are rich in chalk, and they produce wines with vibrant red berries and cherries.

Roddi’s soils are very calcareous, poor in organic matter, with full southern exposure, leading to wines with particularly strong tannins and excellent structure.