Nizza · Winery · Curated profile

Franco Mondo

Franco Mondo

Franco Mondo is a small winery in San Marzano Oliveto, in the Monferrato hills of the Asti province, run by three friends who describe themselves as travel companions in wine. Their vineyards, planted mostly from the 1980s onward, are centred on the Cru Mariano in San Marzano Oliveto, with further plots around Canelli.

San Marzano Oliveto is one of eighteen communes in the Nizza DOCG zone, where hillside vineyards between 150 and 350 metres are farmed largely to Barbera. Franco Mondo belongs to the Produttori del Nizza association and has made its Nizza Le Rose since 2001 and a Nizza Riserva since 2015. The rest of the range runs from Barbera d'Asti and the barrel-aged Il Salice Barbera d'Asti Superiore to Monferrato Freisa, two Monferrato blends sold as DI.VINO, Piemonte Sauvignon, Moscato d'Asti and a metodo classico Alta Langa Brut of Chardonnay and Pinot Nero. The wines are all DOC or DOCG, from grapes grown and vinified on site.

At a glance

Region
Nizza, Piemonte, Italy
Address
Via Umberto I, 11, 14050 San Marzano Oliveto (AT)
Tours
Not listed
Tastings
Available
Wines listed
10
Website
https://www.francomondo.net/

Visits & tastings

A visit to Franco Mondo centres on the wine bar in San Marzano Oliveto, where tastings come with an explanation of how each wine is made.

Tastings

  • Wine bar tasting · book in advance by phone or email

Good to know

  • Wine bar open Mon and Wed to Sun (closed Tue), roughly 7:30 to 14:00 and 18:00 to 22:00, until midnight on Fri and Sat

Contact

Wines from Franco Mondo

  • 8.24: Monferrato Freisa DOC, Freisa 100%, Red. '8.24', the estate's Monferrato Freisa DOC from a single vineyard in Canelli planted in 1985, aged 12 months in 600-litre French oak barrels.
  • Alta Langa: Alta Langa DOCG, Chardonnay 60%, Pinot Nero 40%, Sparkling. A metodo classico sparkling wine from Chardonnay and Pinot Nero grown in the Langa astigiana up to 450 metres, aged at least 36 months on the lees.
  • Barbera d'Asti: Barbera d'Asti DOCG, Barbera 100%, Red. A young, fresh Barbera d'Asti DOCG from estate vineyards in San Marzano Oliveto planted in the early 1980s.
  • DI.VINO Bianco: Monferrato Bianco DOC, Cortese, Favorita, Chardonnay (equal parts), White. DI.VINO Bianco, a Monferrato Bianco DOC blend of equal parts Cortese, Favorita and Chardonnay from estate vineyards in San Marzano Oliveto planted in 1985.
  • DI.VINO Rosso: Monferrato Rosso DOC, Barbera 70%, Cabernet Sauvignon 30%, Red. DI.VINO, a Monferrato Rosso DOC blend of Barbera and Cabernet Sauvignon from estate vineyards in San Marzano Oliveto planted in 1987 and 1995.
  • Il Salice: Barbera d'Asti Superiore DOCG, Barbera 100%, Red. Franco Mondo's Barbera d'Asti Superiore, from a single vineyard planted in 1984, macerated on the skins and aged about 8 months in French oak plus 6 in bottle.
  • Le Rose: Nizza DOCG, Barbera 100%, Red. Franco Mondo's Nizza DOCG, 100% Barbera from the Cru Mariano vineyards in San Marzano Oliveto, aged 24 months in French oak and a further 12 in bottle. The estate has made this wine since the 2001 vintage.
  • Le Rose Riserva: Nizza Riserva DOCG, Barbera 100%, Red. The Riserva version of Franco Mondo's Nizza DOCG, from a single low-yield vineyard in the Cru Mariano planted in 1990 and aged 36 months in French oak. The estate has made it since the 2015 vintage.
  • Moscato d'Asti: Moscato d'Asti DOCG, Moscato Bianco di Canelli 100%, Sweet. Moscato d'Asti DOCG from vineyards planted in the 1980s in San Marzano Oliveto and Canelli, at the heart of the Moscato d'Asti zone.
  • Piemonte Sauvignon: Piemonte Sauvignon DOC, Sauvignon 100%, White. Piemonte Sauvignon DOC from a north-east-facing estate vineyard, fermented in temperature-controlled steel.