The Ioppa family has been farming and making wine for centuries in the eastern corner of Northern Piedmont, near the city of Milan. In 1852, Michelangelo Ioppa bought prized vineyard land in the hills of Romagnano Sesia. The following generations expanded the vineyard to its current 27 hectares in Ghemme and a bit in nearby Sizzano. The sixth and seventh generations, Giorgio Ioppa with his two sons and nephew, currently run the estate with help from Cristiano Garella, one of Piedmont’s young star enologists.
Ioppa’s vineyards are in organic conversion, and traditional methods are used in the winery—light extraction and long aging in large casks for the reds, emphasizing the elegant, aromatic freshness of the Nebbiolo and Vespolina grapes. Ioppa’s sole white wine is a blend of Erbaluce and Timorasso and is fermented entirely in stainless steel. It doesn’t see any oak, in order to preserve the purity and minerality that Piedmontese white varieties are known for.
