La Palazzina

Roasio, Biella, Piemonte

Paolo Monta

Paolo Montá has quietly risen to the top ranks of Alto Piemonte producers. He is thoughtful, gets on with everyone, always has time to listen or help his neighbours and is infinitely patient. His approach is pragmatic, he loves old vines, and masal selections*. He has let local school children adopt his old Maggiorina* trained vines, there is real emotion and nostalgia alongside abundant wildlife in his vineyards; no hail nets because he does not like the way they look.
Paolo has vineyards in Brusnengo, Roasio and Sostegno, they are quite well spread out, which is a good thing as hail is a constant danger, and when it strikes it tends to be localised. The different terroir make for a fascinating range of wines, his hands-off approach brings genuine complexity.
The cellar is under his parents’ home, it is a C17th cellar, with perfect ambient temperature but a very difficult place to work!