Avamposti Slarina 'Cerchi' is a fine Italian red wine with a subtle nose of crushed red fruits and wild herbs. On the palate, it has a fresh and lively profile, with blackcurrant, forest fruits and sweet red cherry complemented by finely-structured tannins and light spicy oak. The finish is sappy and delicate. Pair with grilled meats and charcuterie, or with rich vegetable and lentil casseroles.

About the Producer

Il Cascinone was acquired by leading Piemonte producer Araldica in 1999 - an exceptional estate in the Monferrato hills which has undergone extensive restoration and replanting. Now around 70ha of the total 102ha are in full production, with the warmer, southwest-facing slopes used to grow Barbera, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon - whilst the northeast slopes are ideal for more aromatic varieties Brachetto and Moscato, along with Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir.

The 'Il Cascinone' range (and part of the Alasia range) is produced with grapes sourced from Araldica’s most prized vineyards, both on the estate itself and from other selected sites. This includes the further d'Annona vineyard in the village of Fontanile - purchased by Claudio Manera in 1998. This south-west facing vineyard is a source of premium quality Barbera, from vines over 60 years old. Grapes from d'Annona are brought to Il Cascinone for vinification.

All harvesting at Il Cascinone and d'Annona is by hand. The Araldica winemaking team of Claudio Manera, Lella Burdese and Carlo Manera oversee all production.

Vineyard and Winery

The rare Slarina grape is native to the Monferrato hills of eastern Piemonte and almost disappeared due to low productivity. A handful of estates, including Il Cascinone, are reviving the variety which combines the fresh, juicy character of Barbera with fine, fresh red fruit and slightly leafy notes somewhat reminiscent of Cabernet Franc.

There are just 0.5 hectares of Slarina vines at Tenuta Il Cascinone, grafted in June 2017. The rows face south-west at 350m altitude. After hand-harvesting in mid-September, 95% of the grapes are crushed, destemmed and transferred to stainless steel to begin fermentation, whilst the remaining 5% are left to dry in crates for 15 days. After alcoholic fermentation, the dried 5% is crushed, destemmed and added to the rest. Malolactic fermentation takes place in stainless steel. Then 75% is decanted into large barrels, and the remaining 25% into barriques, for 12 months.