HISTORY OF DOMAINE: The DeForville family emigrated to Piedmont from Belgium in 1848 and established themselves in the village of Barbaresco in 1860. Here, the family was instantly engaged in growing the Nebbiolo grape. In 1907 Paolo Anfosso married into the DeForville family and took over the reins of the family business. For five generations, the Anfosso family has lived in the nearby town of Castagnole Lanze and, to this day, vineyards are maintained in Castagnole where the current Anfosso generation grows Moscato, Grignolino and Barbera. In the early part of this century, the DeForvilles sold their wine in bulk directly to restaurants and to retailers who then bottled the wine. In 1940 the Anfossos bottled their first wine and now virtually their entire production is bottled at the estate with annual output averaging 100,000 bottles. Valter and Paolo Anfosso, sons of Bruno, now manage the estate.

COMPOSITION OF DOMAINE: The 10 hectare domaine is divided between holdings in the villages of Barbaresco [3.5 hectare] and Castagnole Lanze [6.5 hectare]. Within Barbaresco, Nebbiolo is planted in the "cru" vineyards of Rabaja, Loreto and Pozzo. Dolcetto is also planted in the Loreto site and Barbera is cultivated within the "cru" of "Ca'Grossa" [6,000 bottles]. In the mid-1980s a small section of vineyard in Barbaresco was planted to Chardonnay. In addition, the Anfosso family purchases Cortese grapes from the Gavi district; the resulting wine, vinified and bottled in Barbaresco, is known as Cortese del Piemonte [12,000 bottles].

METHOD OF VINIFICATION: In general, the whites are fermented and aged in stainless steel with complete temperature control. Malolactic fermentation is normally blocked and bottling takes place in March or April of the following year. The reds are traditionally vinified, being fermented on the skins throughout a cuvaison that may extend (for the Barbaresco) for as long as 4 weeks. At the end of November, the wines are racked into large oak barrels [50 to 60 hectoliter size] and the malolactic fermentation occurs in barrel. For the Barbaresco, several rackings will be done during the first year and thereafter the wines will remain in barrel for an additional 2 years without a racking. The Barbaresco is then bottled without filtration. The Dolcetto is normally bottled prior to the next harvest and the Barbera within 18 to 20 months from the date of harvest. These wines are particularly age worthy and, after receiving sufficient bottle age, develop the complex aromas of fruit, earth and flowers that can only result from wines that are vinified in this traditional manner. Beginning with the 1997 vintage a special parcel of old vines Barbera is vinified in small oak barrels.