In 2008, Lidia Carbonetti and Paolo Baretta walked away from careers in Milan's financial sector and bought five hectares of old vines in the hills above Carpeneto. They describe their philosophy simply: the less intervention the better, in the vineyard and in the cellar. The result is one of Piedmont's most radical and compelling natural wine projects.
Backstory
Lidia grew up in Rome; Paolo has roots on Lake Garda in the Veneto. They met in Milan, where both worked in finance, and shared a growing conviction that a different life was possible. They found their land near the village of Rocca Grimalda in Piedmont's Alto Monferrato, where old vines and poor soils promised the kind of terroir they were looking for. Lidia enrolled in an oenology programme and designed the estate's new cellar as her thesis project, completed in 2011. The cellar opened in 2012 with sustainability built in: recycled materials, energy efficiency, and on-site water reclamation. From the first vintage, the wines have been zero-zero, made without any additions in the vineyard or cellar.
The Region
Carpeneto sits in the Ovada DOCG zone, the southernmost point of Piedmont and one of its most under-celebrated corners. The Alto Monferrato hills here are only about 33 km from the Ligurian coast, and the proximity to the Mediterranean brings warmth and salt air that distinguishes these wines from those of the more northerly Langhe. Elevations around 270 metres allow for genuine freshness, and the soils, a mix of limestone, marl, and clay, bring mineral structure to even the lightest whites.
Vineyards and Farming
The estate farms around 12 hectares, with vineyards planted primarily between 1955 and 1986. The oldest parcels are over 70 years old, and a recently added plot in the Cinque Terre coastal area adds Albarola, Bosco, and Vermentino to the range. In Piedmont, the main varieties are all local: Cortese, Dolcetto, Barbera, Freisa, Albarossa, Moscato, and Nebbiolo. Organic treatments use only copper and sulphur in minimal quantities. Permanent spontaneous grass cover builds soil life and keeps the land in balance. Rocco di Carpeneto is a certified VinNatur member.
Winemaking
All fermentations are spontaneous, driven entirely by wild yeasts from the vineyard. Nothing is added to the wine at any stage. No fining, no filtration, no clarification. Grapes are the sole ingredient. Sulfite levels typically measure below 10 mg/L total. Many wines are deliberately declassified from DOCG status so that Lidia and Paolo can work without regulatory constraint. Annual production reaches around 40,000 bottles, distributed across 18 countries.
The Wines
The range includes still whites from Cortese and Moscato, reds from Dolcetto, Barbera, Freisa, and Nebbiolo, and occasional orange wines from extended skin contact. Each wine is named with a Piedmontese word or phrase that reflects its character or origins. The wines are known for their transparency, vitality, and the unmistakable stamp of old vines on tired, beautiful hillside soils.
