Tiziano Grasso of the eponymous Tiziano Grasso La Briccolina was the 5th generation of Grassos to farm the land and grow Nebbiolo in the Langhe. But it was him, along with his son Daniele and wife Simona, that decided to make and bottle wine under the family banner for the first time.

Tiziano learned to farm the legendary La Briccolina Cru in Serralunga d’Alba from his father. And he learned winemaking from his years at Fontanafredda where he worked alongside Danilo Drocco, who apprenticed under Beppe Colla—the maestro of single-vineyard Barolos.

Sadly, Tiziano passed away quite suddenly just after he and his family bottled their first vintage. Daniele now makes the wines on his own with Simona working the business. He learned the craft both from his father and his former day job at Batasiolo. The entire village of Serralunga was unified in their grief over Tiziano’s passing and they are equally unified in their belief that the next big name in Serralunga will be Daniele Grasso.

The La Briccolina Barolo—an old-vine selection of the best fruit from the Cru, aged traditionally in botti—is a mirror Serralunga’s terroir. Deep, reflective garnet with highly perfumed nose of black and red cherry, black raspberry, plum, blood orange peel, pipe tobacco, fresh roses and violets, underbrush, and freshly turned earth. Unlike so many Serralunga Barolos in their youth, the Tiziano Grasso La Briccolina has a magical combination of power and lift.