# Le Grive (Forteto della Luja)

> Red, Monferrato Rosso DOC by [Forteto della Luja](https://ilvinobello.com/wineries/forteto-della-luja.md), Asti, Piemonte, Italy. From Il Vino Bello (https://ilvinobello.com/wines/forteto-della-luja-le-grive).

- **Producer:** Forteto della Luja
- **Style:** Red
- **Denomination:** Monferrato Rosso DOC
- **Grape:** Barbera, Pinot Nero
- **Production area:** Loazzolo, Langa Astigiana
- **Soil:** Calcareous marl with clay, sandstone and sand
- **Harvest:** Late harvest
- **Vineyard planting:** Sunny hilltops above 400 m, bordered by stone walls with broom and juniper; short Guyot, at least 7,000 vines per hectare
- **Vinification:** Healthy, fully ripe grapes are picked late, selected and fermented in small temperature-controlled vats. Malolactic fermentation follows, then natural cold stabilisation over winter and about 10 months in small oak barrels. Usually bottled at the end of summer, just before the next harvest. Around 14.5% alcohol.
- **Serving temperature:** 18 to 22°C, in large crystal glasses
- **Storage:** Evolves in complexity over several years
- **Last updated:** 2026-09-25



## Summary

A Barbera and Pinot Nero blend named after the fieldfares (grive) that feed on the juniper berries around the vineyard during migration. Also in magnum and 37.5 cl.

## Tasting notes

Deep, full ruby. Distinctive fruit with a pronounced bouquet of vanilla and spice. Velvety, with ripe tannins and excellent drinkability, gaining complexity with age.

## Food pairings

Young: cooked vegetables, minestrone, richly sauced pasta. With age: roasts and mature cheeses.