"Ruché de Castagnole Monferrato is one of those great stories beloved of wine geeks. For quite a while this authochthonous wine quietly enjoyed relative obscurity, little known and less consumed outside its small, immediate area in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy.
Nebbiolo got all the action from the blockbusters of Barolo and Barbaresco dominating the field, with only a bit of attention left over for the more sedate and humble Barbera and Dolcetto reds. But with relatively small acreage---roughly a hundred total---Ruché managed to survive in its small niche, and developed a fierce following. Stubborn vintners continued to grow the grape and make the wine despite its lack of international popularity; there was never really enough production to satisfy even the limited demand so real expansion was well nigh impossible.
In wine terms, Ruché is considered a relative youngster, even though it has been around for at least a hundred years. It wasn’t recognized with a DOC until 1987, and then didn’t get upgraded to DOCG until 2010. Doesn’t really matter, though, because there’s still not much of it around…and even less when I’m around.
The 2013 Crivelli was right in the Ruché groove---soft yet tart berry flavors; a whiff of spice; licorice and dark plum; silky texture with tender tannins; decent acidity; some floral qualities that provided a gentle perfume; moderate alcohol; and a generous and likable nature.
It’s that most marvelous of things, a true food wine, the type that Italy excels in. It’s not a blockbuster, and not meant to be. It’s a sound, satisfying and altogether pleasant wine that is best consumed with good food and good company."