Coop resembles something much more quintessentially Italian: family and community.

In the next video, we do something a little different. Sure, we stick to script in that you get the visual treat of some stunning Monferrato vineyard views (you really didn’t expect us to leave those out, did you?). But you also get to see the internal, behind-the-scenes workings of one of the larger purveyors of Piedmont Barbera.

Our guest is Lorenzo Giordano, the president of one of the region’s larger Coop, which cull together grapes from many growers into a production of quality Barbera wine that wouldn’t be possible for those farmers to produce on their own. Let’s just say that Lorenzo knows a thing or two about making good Barbera.

In this case, “cooperative” is not a synonym for “boring, bulk wine,” as it is far too often for so many other coop situations around the globe. While the co-op idea gained prominence in the industrial push of the 1950s and 1960s, in this case the situation resembles something much more quintessentially Italian: family and community.

This is a much different – and much larger – side of Monferrato’s booming Barbera business than we have seen so far in our videos, which have focused mainly on smaller and boutique wine producers. The coop’s situation – working closely with several growers in the region – gives them a unique, 20,000-foot view of the Piedmont Barbera world. That perspective allows them to successfully adjust to things such as changes in climate and vintage, in order to produce quality wine every year. They also enjoy the perfect position from which to showcase Barbera’s versatility across all of its quality levels.

Take a look at the video to hear Lorenzo’s unique take on Monferrato Barbera (and to see the co-op in action; and I mean that literally, since I visited during harvest!).

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