Luca Leggero

Founded and run by Luca Leggero, the winery is a family operation. Inspired by his grandfather, who was a regional Coldiretti secretary and an early promoter of the Erbaluce grape, Luca began experimenting with winemaking in his teens and has since expanded his role into full-scale vineyard management and cellar master. His hands-on, holistic approach drives the identity of the estate.

Although the winery’s roots go back to informal home winemaking in the early 2000s, Cantina Luca Leggero took shape around 2011–2014, when Luca planted his first vines. The estate was built to highlight traditional Canavese wine culture, especially the historic Erbaluce di Caluso and Nebbiolo “Picotendro” grapes. Over time, amphora aging, low-intervention cellar work, and biodynamic farming have become hallmarks.

The winery is based in Villareggia, a commune within the Canavese area of northern Piedmont, just outside the town of Caluso. The vineyards fall under the Erbaluce di Caluso DOCG and Canavese DOC appellations. The terroir is marked by glacial morainic soils—sandy, mineral-rich, and well-drained—ideal for whites like Erbaluce and structured reds like Nebbiolo.

The vineyards are farmed organically and with biodynamic principles, although the estate does not always seek formal certification. Luca manages the vineyard work personally, guided by a philosophy that emphasizes biodiversity, soil vitality, and minimal interference. Grass is maintained between the rows to preserve moisture and reduce erosion, copper and sulfur use is kept to a minimum, and vineyard interventions follow the lunar calendar. The vines are densely planted to encourage competition and produce smaller, more concentrated berries. The estate grows Erbaluce for white wines, Nebbiolo—locally known as “Picotendro”—for reds under the Canavese DOC, and Dolcetto, which is sourced from Langhe vineyards for a more approachable, fruit-driven wine.

Vinification merges minimalism and innovation. Fermentations occur in open-top conical wood vats for oxygen exchange and aromatic precision. Whites and some reds are aged in amphorae, with others maturing in large oak barrels. Energy-efficient technologies and natural humidity control aid cellar consistency. Sulfite use is minimal, and clarity is achieved without filtration. The goal is to let the vineyard speak through the wine.

Cantina Luca Leggero produces a concise but expressive range of wines that reflect both the traditions and innovations of Canavese. The “Turciaura” and “Rend Nen” cuvées showcase Erbaluce in its purest form—fermented and aged in amphorae to preserve texture and minerality, with “Rend Nen” coming from older vines and offering added complexity. The reds focus on Nebbiolo, particularly in the bottlings “La Vila,” a fresher, more floral expression, and “Maura Nen,” a more structured and age-worthy wine aged in both amphora and wood. “Maura Nen” stands out as one of the best wines in the portfolio,  with its layered aromas of rose, violet, black cherry, and wild herbs, along with its vibrant acidity and long finish. The estate’s Langhe Dolcetto, called “Retro’,” is a more playful wine meant for everyday drinking, yet still crafted with the same attentive methods.