Some stories are penned with patience, through years of toil and learning. Others seem to be etched in one's DNA, where the calling emerges early and shapes one's destiny.
The story of Isacco Costamagna is a blend of both. In 2014, while his classmates were preoccupied with exams and parties, he decided to plant vines on a plot of land granted by his grandfather in La Morra. Amidst young roots and grand dreams, he embarked on a journey that was far from being called "wine".
From 2017 to 2020, he sold his grapes to his neighbours at Trediberri, while immersing himself in oenology studies at the University of Torino. Once graduated, he returned to the starting point, but not merely as a cultivator, but as a creator. And he did so in a place with a name of its own: Torriglione, opposite the legendary Rocche dell’Annunziata vineyard, within the Barolo appellation.
There, the clay-limestone soils, altitude, and privileged exposure give rise to wines that exude structure and elegance. From this land emerged Castrum Roche, a Langhe Nebbiolo crafted entirely from the vines Isacco planted with his own hands. Manual harvesting, total destemming, spontaneous alcoholic fermentation with indigenous yeasts, a 10-day maceration in stainless steel tanks, and natural malolactic fermentation. Then, 7 months of maturation in steel, finally bottled without fining or filtration.
The result is Castrum Roche Di Costamagna Langhe Nebbiolo, a wine of crystalline purity, with vibrant freshness and firm tannins, combining youth and complexity, encapsulating the essence of nebbiolo and the unique character of its terroir.
For there are those who make wine as a trade... And there are those who do so out of vocation. That difference is felt in every sip.