TERROIR PROFILE
Ovada & Acqui
Marl & sand in southern Monferrato
Dolcetto di Ovada and Brachetto d'Acqui: the warm, aromatic south of Monferrato.
Climate, site & wine
Calcareous marl, clay and sandstone provide good drainage and even ripening for Dolcetto di Ovada, which is robust and dark-fruited.
Around Acqui the vines stand on calcareous clay and marl with sandy limestone patches; Brachetto d'Acqui is an aromatic red sweet sparkling wine, and Moscato comes from Strevi. Dolcetto di Ovada grows on about 1,500 hectares in 22 communes; Brachetto d'Acqui is produced in 26 communes.
TERROIR PROFILE · Piedmont
Ovada & Acqui Marl & sand in southern Monferrato
Dolcetto di Ovada and Brachetto d'Acqui: the warm, aromatic south of Monferrato.
SOILS
Marlbalanced, structured
Marl is a mix of limestone and clay — yields structured, balanced wines with acidity backbone.
Sandaromatic, approachable
Loose sand and wind-blown sand warm up quickly and hold little water — they give aromatic, early-drinking wines with soft tannins; phylloxera-resistant.
Limestoneprecise, mineral
Limestone delivers tension, structure and a cooler, more mineral character.
CLIMATE · Mediterranean
The hills lie at 150 to 450 metres in southern Monferrato; the climate is temperate continental with warm summers and frequent autumn fog.
TOPOGRAPHY · gentle
Slopes on both sides of the Orba valley around Ovada; Brachetto d'Acqui comes from the Bormida and Belbo valleys with Acqui Terme and Strevi at its heart.
WHAT IT MEANS IN THE GLASS
Similar terroirs worldwide
Computed from fingerprint similarity
Markgräflerland
Baden
96% similar
- Dryness (slightly): Ovada & Acqui is wetter → juicier, softer, more plushness (5 vs. 6).
Stuttgart
Württemberg
96% similar
- Warmth (slightly): Ovada & Acqui is warmer → riper fruit, more alcohol, softer acidity (7 vs. 6).
Wineries on this terroir
See all 32 →This terroir's soils in the glossary