Meet the Winemakers

Producer: Boschis
Winemaker: Francesco Boschis
Region: Piedmont
Country: Italy

Francesco Boschis is an under-the-radar star in Piedmont, making wines that are well above the average standard for Dolcetto, Barbera and Freisa. Based in Dogliani, the vineyards here are more elevated than Alba (550m asl) as well as further south and with more exposition to the Mediterranean. Dolcetto elsewhere in Piedmont is a fun, simple drink. Here it makes something dark, serious and rich with complexity. The family have grown grapes for 100 years and made their own wines for the last 50. Mario Boschis runs the 14 hectares of vines with his wife Simona, and two sons Paolo and Marco and nobody else. When they plant new vineyards they take cuttings from prephylloxera selections and their own clone of Dolcetto is small-berried with thick skins. Their vineyards are all managed organically, and they also farm Piemontese cattle, hazelnuts and manage their own beehives.

The Boschis labels are made by local artist Teresita Terreno, and they beautifully describe the time of year when each of their wines is best enjoyed. The Winter label perfectly depicts the time of year you want to drink this very serious wine. A stunning wine of great depth, with dark berries in the blueberry and blackberry spectrum, menthol, cloves and a warm bitter chocolate finish. This is a rare example of a Piemontese wine outside of Barolo and Barbaresco that clearly outshines its more famous peers in terms of power and concentration.