About the producer
Azienda Agricola Cieck was founded by Remo Falconieri in 1985 in Aglie, initially starting as a modest endeavor with the aspiration of becoming a boutique producer of sparkling wine. Remo, originally a typewriter designer for Olivetti and hailing from a farming background, embarked on a journey to France to master the art of crafting sparkling wine. In 1985, fueled by his passion, he established Azienda Agricola Cieck, initially cultivating just a few hectares of vineyard. His inaugural harvest, vinified into a few thousand bottles of Erbaluce Metodo Classico, debuted in 1987.
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Presently, Azienda Agricola Cieck thrives across 13 hectares of vineyard sprawled over the morainic hills of Aglie, San Giorgio, and Cuceglio, nestled between the towns of Turin and Ivrea in northwestern Piedmont. Despite being in his nineties, Remo remains actively engaged in daily cellar operations alongside his daughter, Lia, and winemaker Domenico Caretto, crafting some of Alto Piemonte's most refined and captivating expressions of Erbaluce, alongside a selection of other indigenous red grape varieties.
In the Vineyard
Organic biodynamic practices
Cieck adheres to organic practices in both the vineyard and cellar, although they have chosen not to pursue formal certification.
Total area under vine
13 hectares
Location of vineyards
All vineyards are located in and around San Giorgio
Soil details
Morainic: sand & rocks with a small amount of clay
Grapes
Erbaluce, Barbera, Nebbiolo, Freisa, Neretto
In the Cellar
Winemaker
Domenico Caretto is the agronomist, overseeing both the vineyards and the cellar, ensuring meticulous care from grape to bottle. Lia Falconieri takes charge of administration, marketing, and communication, bringing a strategic vision to the estate's operations. Meanwhile, Remo Falconieri, the esteemed founder often referred to as "the Archimedes of bubbly," remains actively engaged in winemaking at 90 years old, imparting his wealth of experience and wisdom to the craft.
Yeast utilized
Selected yeasts for all wines aside from the Ingenuus which is indigenous yeast
Filtration stabilization
Paper filtration and cold stabilization, the Ingenuus uses no filtration
Fermentation & aging vessels
Fermentation in stainless steel and aging in a combination of stainless steel, new, neutral and old French oak barrels (large and small)
Additional notes
Winemaking style
The family holds tradition and integrity in high regard, anchoring all vineyard and cellar practices around the ethos of crafting wines that authentically reflect the finest attributes of Erbaluce, as well as local red varieties.
Wines produced
Spumante San Giorgio, Spumante Calliope, Erbaluce di Caluso, VIgna Misobolo, 'T', Tucc-Un, Sust, Alladium Passito
Total production
Depending on the vintage, roughly 60,000 bottles are produced each year