Former Vietti Owners Open a New Barolo Winery: A Fresh Chapter in Piedmont Wine Story

Luca Currado-Vietti and Elena Penna-Currado embark on a fresh project in Piedmont with Cascina Penna-Currado

Famed Barolo couple Luca Currado Vietti and Elena Penna-Currado have embarked on a new part of their wine-making journey, this time including their children, Michele and Giulia. A year after the long-running owners of Vietti exited that winery, the family has created Cascina Penna-Currado, a quaint artisanal winery crafting Barolo, Barbera, Dolcetto, Nebbiolo and Timorasso. Their inaugural vintage is set for 2023.

The family transferred ownership of Vietti in 2016 to American Kyle Krause and his kin, with a pact for the duo to remain as overseers for five years. But when that concluded in 2021, amid the COVID-19 crisis, they felt the timing was not right for departure. Consequently, they stepped down from Vietti in January of 2023.

“We were without a plan when we left Vietti,” Penna-Currado shared with Wine Spectator. “We refrained from revealing anything [regarding the new venture] as we were awaiting the label printing, to assess the quality of the wines, to be certain all the steps were in place. We are excited to resume and return to the wine industry.”

The family is farming 30 acres of vines in the San Sebastiano region of the Monforte d’Alba appellation, having held a lease for the past 25 years. Penna-Currado stated, “We have long known this area, and now, with global climate change, we are able to ripen grapes that possess freshness, low alcohol, mountain influence, as well as consistency with Barolo soils.” The vineyards will be maintained under sustainable farming principles.

At an ancestral farmhouse – Cascina Lazzarito, constructed in 1554, the wines are produced. The couple became owners of the property in 2018, and have been undertaking renovations since. It was initially property of the Marchesi Falletti family, later passing on to the charity Opera Pia. Penna-Currado said, “This site has continually been associated with history and Barolo, and we could not find a better place to commence our new journey.”

This spring will see the introduction of Dolcetto and Barbera. A Langhe Nebbiolo and Timorasso are scheduled for release in autumn 2024. Moreover, three Barolos harvested in 2023 are planned to be launched in 2027. “Organising all those parcels for the harvest in ’23 was not an easy task, but luckily, we received assistance from a few individuals to kickstart this new endeavour.”

The aim is to eventually scale up to around 6,000 cases. “We wish to manage every aspect of the process – right from the vineyards to the winemaking, on our own.”

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