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Maurizio Ferraro

#SoloVino Ruche' 2018

Price: $31.95
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Tasting notes

Ruche is one of Piedmont's rarest grapes, and Ferraro's version is as pure an expression of it as exists: violet and rose florals up front, wild berry fruit mid-palate, and a white pepper snap on the finish. Zero additives, zero filtration, bottled straight from stainless steel.

BodyFruitTanninAcidity
VioletWild StrawberryRaspberryWhite Pepper
  • Style: Dry, medium-bodied red; pale ruby; floral, spicy, wild berry; 12.5% ABV; zero added sulfites
  • Grapes & Terroir: 100% Ruche; organic farming; clay, sand, and limestone soils; Montemagno, Basso Monferrato, Asti province
  • Winemaking: Hand-harvested; de-stemmed; native yeast fermentation in stainless steel; unfined; unfiltered; no added SO2
  • Serving: Serve at 58-62F; no decant needed; can be enjoyed slightly cool
  • Pairing: Charcuterie, semi-aged cheese, rabbit, mushroom dishes, mildly spiced preparations
  • Similar To: For fans of aromatic, lighter-bodied reds like Gamay or Schiava who want something rarer and spicier

100% Ruche from Maurizio Ferraro's organically farmed vineyards in Montemagno, a village in the province of Asti in the Basso Monferrato. The grapes are hand-harvested, de-stemmed, pressed, and transferred to stainless steel vats for spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts. The wine is unfined, unfiltered, and bottled with zero added sulfites. Ferraro is a member of S.A.I.N.S., the French organization for producers who add no additives of any kind to their wines.

Ruche is a rare indigenous red grape confined to seven municipalities in the Asti province. It is intensely aromatic, producing wines with violet and rose floral notes, wild berry fruit, and a characteristic white pepper spice. Despite its pale ruby color, the variety can carry noticeable tannins and a slightly bitter finish. The Ruche di Castagnole Monferrato appellation received DOC status in 1987 and was elevated to DOCG in 2010.

Montemagno sits in the rolling hills of Basso Monferrato, on soils of old marine origin composed of clay, sand, and limestone. The continental climate brings warm summers and cold winters, with diurnal temperature swings that help retain acidity in the grapes. The Monferrato hills were designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2014.

Ruche pairs naturally with Piedmontese antipasti, charcuterie, and semi-aged cheeses. It works well alongside rabbit, chicken with herbs, and mushroom-based dishes. The grape's spice also makes it an easy match for mildly spiced dishes.

Wine details

Dry/Sweet:, Dry
Wine Type:, Red Wine
Wine Style:, Medium Body
Grapes:, Ruche
Farming:, Organic
Vintage:, 2018
Alcohol:, 12.5%
Country:, Italy
Region:, Piedmont
Appellation:, Ruche di Castagnole Monferrato DOCG
Bottle Size:, 750ml
Sugar Level:, Zero Added Sugar

We will process and ship your order in 2-3 business days, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking as soon as the Carrier scans the shipping label.

Ground shipping time depends on location, here's a breakdown:

West Coast: 1-2 business days
Midwest: 3-4 business days
East Coast: 5 business days

Process time is not shipping time. Shipping time starts from the days successive to the day of shipping, after the order has been processed.

See here our shipping policy.


Important Compliance Requirements

FedEx and other carriers we might occasionally use can only deliver wine to customers who are 21 years or older. Someone must be at the address to receive the package, carriers don't just drop a package and leave. They must ensure the person receiving the wine is 21 or older.


Re-shipping a Package

If a package is returned to us after three failed delivery attempts, we can only re-ship the wine upon payment of a re-shipping fee, to be determined based on the shipping address and number of bottles. Shipping wine is extremely expensive. We are sorry about this, but we have no other choice. Please make sure there's always someone at the address you enter as your shipping address.

If you'd like to receive a refund for a package that was returned to us after FedEx made three delivery attempts, we can do that but we must keep a $20 refund fee; FedEx charges us a lot of money for returns, unfortunately, I can't stress this enough.


Re-routing a Package

If you'd like to reroute a package after it's been shipped, we can do so for a $20 re-routing fee. We cannot re-route a package across state borders. For any change of address, please contact us as soon as possible, ideally within 1-2 days from placing the order or we cannot guarantee we'll be able to reroute or change your order's shipping address.


Canceling an Order

If you'd like to cancel an order after it's been shipped, we can do so upon payment of a small cancellation fee – the amount depends on the size of the order. Carriers charge us a lot of money to recall a package en-route.


Heat/Frost damage

We are not responsible for heat- or frost-related issues. We offer ice-packs upon request. Please let us know if you think that there could be heat-related issues. If we don't hear anything from you regarding weather issues before an order is shipped, or if you don't request a hold due to the weather, we are not responsible for heat/frost damage.


Placed an order. What next?

1. You will receive an order confirmation email with your order summary.*

2. As soon as your order ships from the warehouse, usually within 2-3 business days, this applies to all shipping rates, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with your tracking information. 2DAY shipping refers to shipping time; we still need 2-3 business days to prepare an order. We need to pick and pack, QA, add printed collateral, and palletize the orders.

3. Please track your package using the tracking service.

4. The carrier will attempt delivery a maximum of 3 times. After 3 delivery attempts, your package will be sent back to our warehouse.**

*Please ensure your email address is correct; otherwise, you will not receive the order and shipping confirmation emails.

**If delivery is attempted 3 times without success, or if you fail to retrieve your package from the carrier depot by the stated deadline, the shipping fee will not be refunded to the customer.

Returns Policy

If you are not satisfied with your purchase, please contact us at (424) 414-2040 or via e-mail at hello@primalwine.com between 9 am and 5 pm Pacific Standard Time, Monday through Sunday, we would like to understand and try to solve your concerns. We can offer refunds only as store credit.

Producer profile

Maurizio Ferraro

Maurizio Ferraro farms approximately seven hectares of vines in and around the village of Montemagno in the Basso Monferrato, in the province of Asti. The family's winemaking history dates to 1819, when an ancestor acquired a small vineyard. Maurizio took over from his father in the late 1990s, began transitioning to organic farming around 2000, and completed the move to fully natural winemaking in 2006.

Ferraro grows traditional Monferrato varieties: Ruche, Barbera, Grignolino, Nebbiolo, and Freisa for reds; Timorasso and Chardonnay for whites. No chemicals or irrigation are used in the vineyards. Ferraro is a member of S.A.I.N.S., the French organization for producers committed to adding no additives of any kind, including sulfites.

In the cellar, fermentation is spontaneous with native yeasts. There is no temperature control, no fining, no filtration, and no added SO2. For the Ruche, grapes are de-stemmed, pressed, and fermented in stainless steel. The wine is bottled directly from tank without any additions.

Wine region

Piedmont, Italy

Monferrato is a broad hill district in southern Piedmont, spanning the provinces of Asti and Alessandria. The soils are of old marine origin, composed primarily of clay, sand, and limestone. Vineyards typically sit between 150 and 400 meters elevation. The continental climate brings warm summers, cold winters, and significant diurnal temperature variation that preserves natural acidity. The Monferrato landscape was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2014.

The Ruche di Castagnole Monferrato DOCG is one of Italy's smallest appellations, covering approximately 205 hectares planted within just seven municipalities in the Asti province, centered on the village of Castagnole Monferrato, northeast of Asti. The appellation requires a minimum of 90% Ruche, with Barbera and Brachetto permitted to make up the remainder. Ruche produces intensely aromatic wines with floral, berry, and spice character. The DOC was established in 1987 and elevated to DOCG in 2010.

Frequently asked question

We will process and ship your order in 2-3 business days, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking as soon as the Carrier scans the shipping label.

Ground shipping time depends on location, here's a breakdown:

West Coast: 1-2 business days
Midwest: 3-4 business days
East Coast: 5 business days

Process time is not shipping time. Shipping time starts from the days successive to the day of shipping, after the order has been processed.

See here our shipping policy.

Signature on delivery is mandatory for wine deliveries. Please make sure someone is at the shipping address to sign for the package.

If applicable, please consider delivering the package to a business address to ensure someone is available to sign for the package.

We also have the option of delivering the package to a Carrier's store for pickup. Please reach out to us to coordinate.

Carrier will try to delivery a package up to three times before returning the package to us.

See here our shipping policy.

If you miss a delivery and a package gets returned to us we have two options:

1) Reship the package right away: due to the very high cost of shipping and returns, we must charge a re-shipping fee to be determined based on package size and shipping destination.

2) Consolidate the returned package with your next order: this option is free of charge and it's the most popular option.

See here our shipping policy.

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