The story of Azienda Bruna Grimaldi is one of family tradition: people born and raised in Barolo among the hills that connect the villages of Grinzane Cavour to Serralunga, combined with a passion for wine and working the vineyards that has been handed down through the decades. The winery has grown over the years, thanks to its dedication to the great wines of the Langhe and great care in the selection of the most suitable vineyards for the production of Barolo.
Giacomo Grimaldi started to sell his grapes in 1957, then brother Giovanni Grimaldi produced their first wine in the 1960s, selling it by the liter. More recently, Giovanni’s daughter Bruna Grimaldi and her husband Franco Fiorino, the present owners, have turned the business into a modern winery, bottling their first wine in 1999. The estate she inherited included the Badarina vineyard in Serralunga from her mother’s side and some beautiful old vineyards from her father’s side in Grinzane Cavour, where the winery is located. Additionally, they purchased some choice parcels in other sites, including a parcel in the coveted Bricco Ambrogio vineyard in Roddi. Some vineyards were replanted where necessary, so that certain vineyards – particularly in Serralunga – are an average of 25 years old, whereas older vines can be found in vineyards in Grinzane Cavour, Roddi and Diano d’Alba.
The philosophy of Bruna Grimaldi is simple and relies on basic principles: the quality of a wine originates in the vineyard and is largely determined through a good green harvest. Thanks to an attentive selection of grapes, they bottle impeccable wines that faithfully represent their region. The combined knowledge of Bruna Grimaldi and Franco Fiorino, along with the contribution of accomplished agronomist Giampiero Romana, have a sole aim: to cultivate the vines in such a way as to produce important, full-bodied wines with intense aromas, which highlight the best that nature and the soil have to offer. Ten hectares produce approximately 50,000 bottles that all express the typical essence of Langa wines, from Barolo to Dolcetto, from Barbera to Nebbiolo d’Alba. The identity of the winery, Bruna Grimaldi, is clear and defined, especially through its three cru Baroli: Barolo Badarina from Serralunga, Barolo Camilla from Grinzane Cavour and Barolo Bricco Ambrogio from Roddi. The work in the vineyards is performed following traditional methods: the vines develop naturally. The spontaneous growth of weeds is kept under control through mechanical means and not by the use of any herbicides. When the grapes start to ripen, they carry out analyses on sugar content, acidity and polyphenols, in order to harvest healthy grapes at the correct ripening level, which will give a wine with distinct aromas. No chemical products are used to control grey mold or pests, nor are any systemic products. The health of the grapes is guaranteed especially by the careful selections of bunches and leaves by hand, thus ensuring the production of grapes that give rise to quality wines.
According to Bruna Grimaldi and Franco Fiorino the cellar is the place where the wine takes shape as the natural end product of a process that starts and develops in the vineyard. The cellar is located in an early twentieth-century building that has been used as a cellar since the 1950s. In recent years it has been refurbished to create the optimal conditions for winemaking. The cellar includes winemaking, ageing, storing and packaging areas, plus a stock room. Since 1999, the year of the first harvest of Barolo Badarina managed by Bruna Grimaldi, the use of technology has been reduced and the wines have been aged exclusively in large wooden barrels and tonneaux. Wines are fermented spontaneously in stainless steel and then go into wood because they believe this completes and enhances the quality of the wine, especially in the case of Barolo, Barbera and Nebbiolo d’Alba, and its proper use depends a lot on the weather conditions of the year. The wine is good when its natural characteristics are preserved!