In 1990, fourth generation winemaker Elvio Cogno bought a historic 18th-century farmhouse and vineyard situated at the top of Bricco Ravera, a hill near Novello—a quiet village in Italy’s Piedmont region. It was a humble, largely unnoticed beginning to what has become one of the most respected winemaking operations in the Ravera Cru of Piedmont. Cogno, who was born in Novello, understood the neglected potential of the Ravera vineyards and spent the past decades developing vineyard sites he felt had untapped potential. Now, 29 years later his son-in-law Valter Fissore, who worked along with Cogno for 25 years, continues to realize Cogno’s vision. In Barolo there are eleven communes, or crus, recognized for producing wines of ultra-premium quality. Of the eleven, Ravera has historically been the least celebrated, and not because the wines are inferior. Rather, says Fissore, “the Ravera Cru was overlooked because for decades the grape growers in Novello sold the grapes and did not produce their own wines. And, the owners of the best Ravera vineyards at the time were lawyers and they were not so interested in making Ravera Cru wines.”
Together, over the course of 27 harvests, the painstaking efforts of Cogno and Fissore have begun to change the fortunes of Ravera. Indeed, at a recent Elvio Cogno wine dinner at Boston’s Grill 23 & Bar, the crowd was humbled (and frankly, a bit dazed) by the quality of Fissore’s wines. Fissore is clearly uncomfortable with the effusive praise and admiration of critics and colleagues. When the praise starts piling on, he drops his head, gives a self-effacing “aw shucks” shrug and redirects the focus to his real treasure—his vineyards in the Ravera Cru. His longtime friend Master Sommelier & Beverage Director for Himmel Hospitality Group Brahm Callahan has followed the progress of Elvio Cogno wines for years. Callahan credits Cogno and the subsequent work of Fissore for the rise of the Ravera Cru. “Now, people see the true potential of wines from the Ravera Cru and Valter is the best of his generation, a brilliant winemaker.”
To explain the nascent interest in the Ravera Cru, Callahan points to Fissore’s obsession with purity of expression. And what exactly does that mean? It means Fissore grows four different clones of the same grape on four different parcels that have four different climactic exposures –all within the same vineyard site. He is breaking Nebbiolo down to small but significant differences within the Ravera vineyards and in the end making entirely distinct tastes of the same varietal from a single site.
This is akin to planting the same tomato variety in four different places in your small garden and getting four very different tastes of the same tomato. Currently, there are only a handful of winemakers using different clonal selections in Italy’s Piedmont. It is not easy to bring something new to a region with centuries of experience doing things one way. But, for Fissore it is all about cultivating wines with personality. “I like wines that can show great differences in terroir,” says Fissore.
Fissore also keeps busy with a few other things, such as saving native grapes from extinction or resuscitating ancient Barbera vines. Fissore along with a small group of winemakers, rescued the Nascetta grape to honor an indigenous white varietal from Piemonte. “It took ten years to be awarded the DOC designation; all in I spent 20 years of my life to save this grape.“ The ripe, silky, succulent pear and acacia notes in Elvio Cogno’s Anas Cetta Nascetta leave no doubt this white was worth the trouble. Yet, the real proof of success argues Fissore, is that “from 1950 -1955 the grape was abandoned and now we have 35 producers making it.”
He also gets credit for resuscitating an ancient Barbera vineyard ---with vines that are 120 years old. It is fair to say that no one else is making 120-year-old vine Barbera. The success of this wine is as much an accomplishment as the then revival of Ravera Cru. The wine is made from a very small number of pre-phylloxera non grafted vines, and the 2010 Pre Phylloxera Barbera was his first vintage. It drinks unlike any other Barbera in existence—silky, dense, with a velvety mouthfeel and threads of minerality underneath.
This year marks Fissore’s 28th harvest, but he’s nowhere near retirement, and just so we understand he adds, “I would love 20 more if God lets me. I’m very passionate.” He has a ready laugh and a steady twinkle in his eye when he’s smiling—which is often. Fissore is enjoying his place in wine as well he should. His current release wines represent a winemaker who trusts his vineyards and is hitting his full stride. Says Fissore, “I don’t like makeup. The wines should speak of the site they are growing in.” Elvio Cogno wines –we hear you, loud and clear.
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