Brachetto d'Acqui Castelgaro, Bersano

“BRACHETTO: YOUR SPARKLING PARTNER”

As with all true protagonists, the history of Brachetto is also imbued with legend and charm. One of the most evocative – and suggestive – has it that the VINUM ACQUENSE (the old name of Brachetto during roman times) was thought to have astonishing aphrodisiac powers. Legend has it that in Roman times, first Julius Caesar, and then Mark Antony, sent many wineskins of the vinum acquense to Egypt and to the court of the famously beautiful Cleopatra before their arrival, which the queen is said to have used generously to rekindle the passion of her legendary lovers. A long chain of connections across history, land and wine characteristics seems to link the VINUM ACQUENSE to today’s Brachetto, which appears to be its true descendant, as it was already
present in Acqui Terme and its surroundings in those times.

In Italy and especially in our area, Brachetto is identified as the WINE OF LOVE. Acqui Terme (the old latin name was Aquae Statiellae , acquae means water in latin and italian ) is a nice roman town in the heart of Monferrato with a great history as a SPA. Whenever you walk in Acqui Terme there is a spa thanks to the romans who used to build them and make it one of the biggest center for wellness in their empire thanks to the particular good results of the water to the skin and to the water vapours for the lungs. For information and as a curiosity Arturo Bersano was the first producer in Italy to believe in the great potentiality of the Brachetto grapes and to propose it also in the sparkling version. It is an aromatic grapes which grows just in a little territory of Piedmont.
Cascina Castelgaro is Bersano’s Brachetto vineyard. In Baretta, near the Acqui Terme area, it enjoys the benefits of southern exposure and an average elevation of 250 m. The soil composed of calcareous and clayey loam and the vast temperature excursions typical of the area help the wine develop its aromatic complexity. The result is a Brachetto with a broad, delicately musky aroma enhanced by a dominant note of budding rose.
Bunches are rigorously thinned in the first ten days of August to obtain grapes which are rich in sugar and yet well-balanced in terms of both acidity and aromas, while cold fermentation (15°) in contact with the skins for about three days ensures that the wine is enriched with aromas and colouring substances. Castelgaro is a medium ruby red, with a broad, persistent nose and a sweet, soft, full, well-balanced flavour. It leaves behind a clear aftertaste of the varietal aroma, while the sweet note dissipates rapidly, avoiding the cloying sensation often created by other dessert wines. A number of bottles of vintage 1957, jealously guarded in the winery, testify to the intuition of  Arturo Bersano, the true pioneer and promoter of Still Wine Brachetto, whose work is continued today in constant striving for equilibrium and perfection.