Elio Grasso

The story of Elio Grasso begins not in the winery, but in the city of Turin, where Elio Grasso went to have a successful career in the banking sector but luckily, he then decided to follow his calling and take his young family back to the hills of Barolo. In 1978, Elio established his winery in the township of Monforte and the family have played a big part in establishing Monforte d’Alba as one of the premium and most regarded sub regions in Barolo.

The estate is 42 hectares in total. large, of which 18 ha. to vineyards, surrounded by forest and meadows. The vineyards have been placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The family works tirelessly to preserve what nature gives them, crafting wines of rare purity and concentration: although Elio Grasso has now been making fine Barolo for nearly four decades, he was a newcomer to winemaking when he took charge of the family estate.

As a producer, Elio Grasso has always been alert to tradition but, given the many generations of his family in the zone, has never wished to radically transform his wines: both the Barolo Gavarini Chiniera and the Barolo Ginestra Casa Matè are aged in big oak casks; only the Barolo Riserva Runcot, only made in the very best vintages, is aged in small French barrels. Innovation, instead, is represented by two other wines of the line: the fine barrel-aged Barbera Martina and the barrel-fermented Chardonnay, Educato.

In my opinion, the Runcot Riserva is the purest expression of Barolo you can find on the market. As described, it is a wine that is only produced in the best years and has therefore only been produced in 10 vintages this century so far. A scarce wine with a limited edition of up to 7,000 bottles when it is made.

I therefore try to have a Runcot in stock as often as possible so that I can share this taste with you Italian wine enthusiasts. Price-quality it is a fair price considering the price increases of other more exclusive houses that are not even their top crus. A real gem that tells you a story with every sip.

Their full range is an impressive collection of single expressions of different Langhe terroirs. While approachable in youth, they preserve the impressive longevity of Piedmont wines, making them an unmissable addition to any cellar.

Top Elio Grasso vintages are: 1996, 1999, 2001, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016 , 2019 & 2021.


FACTS

Year Founded: 1978
Owner: Family Grasso
Annual production: approx. 80,000 bottles
Vineyard: approx. 42 hectares
Natural Cultivation