Langhe · Winery

Cascina Penna-Currado

Cascina Penna-Currado is the new family estate of Luca Currado Vietti and Elena Penna, the couple who ran the historic Vietti winery in Castiglione Falletto for decades. Luca made the Vietti wines for more than 30 years while Elena led sales and marketing; after the family sold Vietti to American investor Kyle Krause in 2016 and the pair stepped away in January 2023, they started again from scratch with their children Giulia and Michele, describing the new venture as a family project on a human scale.

Home base is a restored farmhouse on the ridge of Serralunga d'Alba, at the edge of the village above the Lazzarito cru. The building dates to 1554 and appears in local histories first as "Santa Giulia" and later as "Cascina Lazzarito". Once owned by the Falletti family, it was later run by a charitable foundation as the winery for its Serralunga estates. The family restored it conservatively, and the 2,400 square metre site now houses every stage of production, from receiving the grapes to ageing, with an emphasis on energy efficiency. From the ridge there are open views across the villages of the Barolo zone.

Most of the red grapes come from San Sebastiano, a high, cool hamlet of Monforte d'Alba just outside the Barolo boundary, where the family works around 13 hectares of long-term leased vineyards wrapped around a small chapel, surrounded by woods and a natural lake. Soils are marine sediments of marl and sandstone, and the altitude and Alpine breezes push harvest late. Importers report that all sites are farmed organically. A Pelaverga vineyard on the La Morra to Verduno ridge and a 2.5 hectare Timorasso plot at Berzano di Tortona in the Colli Tortonesi, a grape Elena has long championed, complete the range.

The style is what the family calls "Langa-driven": restrained, energetic wines built on indigenous yeasts, long cold soaks, whole berries or whole bunches, and large old casks or concrete rather than new oak. Barolo from Monforte, Verduno and two Barolo MGA crus is ageing in the cellar and is due from January 2027, starting with the 2023 vintage. The labels carry a drawing in Bic pen by artist Giuseppe Stampone, and the family also runs Elena Spirits, a line of Piemonte gin and vermouth made with Barolo and Timorasso wines.

At a glance

Region

Langhe, Piemonte, Italy

Address

Via Alba 7, 12050 Serralunga d'Alba (CN)

Winemaker

Luca Currado Vietti

Tours

Not listed

Tastings

Available

Wines listed

6

Website

https://cascinapennacurrado.com