Azienda LALU

Piedmont

Azienda Agricola Lalù is a small and new winery located in the heart of Piedmont's Langhe region. The winery is owned and operated by Lara and Luisa, two friends who met at the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo, Italy.

Azienda Lalù began in 2013, when Lara and Luisa discovered about winemaking in South Africa and Argentina to come back in Italy and spend a year at Treddiberri, a winery in Langhe, to learn the craft firsthand.

At Treddiberri, Lara and Luisa were able to work with the most famous vineyards of Italy, including Le Rocche dell’Annunziata. They were thoroughly immersed in farming, the vines, and most of all, the Langhe. It was during this time that they developed a deep appreciation for the terroir and the unique characteristics of the grapes grown there. With their combined inheritance, they were able to purchase a small plot of land in Roncaglie, 400m above sea level, facing east, with good wind conditions and maintaining healthy vegetation and slow, late-ripening. This became the foundation for their own winery, Azienda Agricola Lalù.

After establishing in 2014, the pair spent the next few years working in the Langhe and elsewhere in Burgundy such as Domaine Cecile Tremblay and with Dominique Lafon at Domaine des Comtes Lafon, where they learned the importance of terroir and the techniques of working closely with it.

Now with 3.5 hectares in total, shared between Nebbiolo and Barbera, the “Lalu” a meticulously taking care of their vineyards located in Bussia Bovi and Le Costa di Montforte.
The farming at Azienda Agricola Lalù is meticulous, and their winemaking informed and worldly. They strive to produce drinkable wines of elegance and sensitivity, reflecting the unique character of the Langhe terroir.

At Azienda Lalu, the winemaking process begins with the highest level of precision, starting with the berries themselves. Drawing inspiration from Lalou Bize-Leroy's innovative techniques from the 1990s and their experience at Cecile Tremblay winery, the team at Azienda Lalu takes great care in the handling of the grapes. They use a unique de-stemming method that consists of removing only the peduncle and leaving the rachis and pedicel of each grape intact. This approach strikes an ideal balance between de-stemming and non-destemming methods, and is widely regarded as the best method for producing exceptional wines, as proven by the success of Leroy wines.

Although this method requires more labor to process than a traditional de-stemming machine, the team at Azienda Lalu believes it is well worth the effort. The painstaking process takes up to five times longer, but the result is a wine that maintains the integrity of the berries and demonstrates a bright, lifted character. This approach aligns with the winery's philosophy of crafting wines that are true to their terroir.

The winery's name, Lalù, is derived from the first two letters of Lara and Luisa's names and represents the strong bond of friendship that brought them together in their journey to create exceptional wines. (Lara Rocchetti & Luisa Sala (La & Lu = Lalú)

The establishment of Azienda Agricola Lalù has not been without challenges, particularly as outsiders attempting to establish themselves in an insular and traditional community. But with serendipity, friendship, and strength of will, Lara and Luisa have managed to make their mark in the Langhe and are gaining recognition for their outstanding wines. Azienda Agricola Lalù is a testament to the power of perseverance and passion in the pursuit of excellence.

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