# CALOSSO DOC (Giuseppe Valente)

> Red, Calosso DOC by [Giuseppe Valente](https://ilvinobello.com/wineries/giuseppe-valente.md), Monferrato, Piemonte, Italy. From Il Vino Bello (https://ilvinobello.com/wines/giuseppe-valente-calosso-doc).

- **Producer:** Giuseppe Valente
- **Style:** Red
- **Denomination:** Calosso DOC
- **Grape:** Gamba di Pernice
- **Production area:** Calosso, Asti, Piedmont (also Costigliole Asti and Castagnole Lanze)
- **Harvest:** Around October 20-25
- **Vineyard planting:** The current cultivation of 'Gamba di pernice' is said to have derived from a few buds 'stolen' by a certain Moiso, an inhabitant of the town of Asti, from the Cora nurserymen of Canelli at the beginning of the 19th century.
- **Vinification:** Cellar practices do not differ from classic red winemaking for grapes with good phenolic richness. However, Gamba di pernice is also an aromatic variety, so floating cap fermentations are carried out for about 10 days, followed by short macerations of 7 to 8 days to extract phenolic matter from the solid parts. The wine is generally stored in steel tanks; some producers find it useful to use wood: medium-sized barrels or second or third passage barriques for short periods (9 - max 12 months).
- **Storage:** The natural tannicity makes this wine particularly dry and allows a long aging period of over 12-15 years, which increasingly highlights its characteristic spicy note reminiscent of green pepper. By law, "Calosso DOC" is allowed to be sold 20 months after the harvest, if with the indication "Vigna" or "Riserva", the period is longer (30 months). Everyone agrees on the evolutionary potential: particularly in great vintages, with well-ripened and healthy grapes, it is a wine of great evolution.
- **Last updated:** 2026-06-03



## Summary

A unique red wine from Calosso, characterized by its violet color, intense spicy notes of green pepper, and excellent aging potential.

## Tasting notes

Calosso DOC has a beautiful violet color, tending towards ruby-garnet with the passage of time. The bouquet is always intense and elegant - it is initially fruity, a few months later it deviates towards the well-known spicy rotundone (peppery aroma) that characterizes Calosso DOC. It is a well-balanced and smooth wine with a good structure, appreciated for its hints of violets, fruity cherry and berries combined with hints of spices and green pepper.

## Food pairings

Hot appetizers, game, and especially with cheeses, even mature and flavorsome ones.