La Chimera
La Chimera is a winery located near Chiomonte, in Val di Susa, a long and deep alpine valley that occupies the western part of Piemonte, towards the French border. It is a small-scale artisanal reality, born with the intent of recovering ancient local traditions and enhancing the territory and its native grape varieties. It is a rarity for enthusiasts and connoisseurs in search of unusual bottles, capable of revealing the authentic and ancient face of a land to be discovered. Val di Susa is an area of heroic viticulture, which over time and with the progressive process of industrialization in the post-war period, particularly in the city of Turin, has been abandoned in favor of factory jobs that guaranteed a more secure income and less strenuous work.
The project was initiated by Stefano Turbil, who in 2005 decided to embark on this new adventure, renting a few small plots and starting to dedicate himself to viticulture. For the vinifications,At the beginning, Stefano relied on the winery of another local producer, then in 2011 he decided to create his own independent winery. An important step that allowed him to personally work with his grapes, following a philosophy oriented towards minimal intervention, to let the grape varieties and the terroir express themselves directly. Today, the estate boasts about three hectares of vineyards, composed of several small plots, located at an altitude of about 700 meters above sea level. The vines are cultivated on terraces supported by dry stone walls, which rise along the slopes of the mountain.
The microclimate is particularly cool, with constant ventilation and significant temperature swings between day and night. The soils are rather poor, stony, and host indigenous grape varieties that have been present in Val di Susa for centuries, which have found a perfect interaction with the mountainous environment: l’Avanà and il Becuet. These are old vines over 80 years old, which have been patiently recovered and produce little fruit per plant. All the farming operations, up to the harvest, are carried out manually. Between the rows, no weeding is practiced, and only sulfur and copper are used for treatments, as per the organic farming protocol. The wines are made with care and passion. It is a small production that allows us to appreciate varieties that are now forgotten, but capable of giving us the authentic taste of the alpine territory.
La Chimera is a winery located near Chiomonte, in Val di Susa, a long and deep alpine valley that occupies the western part of Piemonte, towards the French border. It is a small-scale artisanal reality, born with the intent of recovering ancient local traditions and enhancing the territory and its native grape varieties. It is a rarity for enthusiasts and connoisseurs in search of unusual bottles, capable of revealing the authentic and ancient face of a land to be discovered. Val di Susa is an area of heroic viticulture, which over time and with the progressive process of industrialization in the post-war period, particularly in the city of Turin, has been abandoned in favor of factory jobs that guaranteed a more secure income and less strenuous work.
The project was initiated by Stefano Turbil, who in 2005 decided to embark on this new adventure, renting a few small plots and starting to dedicate himself to viticulture. For the vinifications,At the beginning, Stefano relied on the winery of another local producer, then in 2011 he decided to create his own independent winery. An important step that allowed him to personally work with his grapes, following a philosophy oriented towards minimal intervention, to let the grape varieties and the terroir express themselves directly. Today, the estate boasts about three hectares of vineyards, composed of several small plots, located at an altitude of about 700 meters above sea level. The vines are cultivated on terraces supported by dry stone walls, which rise along the slopes of the mountain.
The microclimate is particularly cool, with constant ventilation and significant temperature swings between day and night. The soils are rather poor, stony, and host indigenous grape varieties that have been present in Val di Susa for centuries, which have found a perfect interaction with the mountainous environment: l’Avanà and il Becuet. These are old vines over 80 years old, which have been patiently recovered and produce little fruit per plant. All the farming operations, up to the harvest, are carried out manually. Between the rows, no weeding is practiced, and only sulfur and copper are used for treatments, as per the organic farming protocol. The wines are made with care and passion. It is a small production that allows us to appreciate varieties that are now forgotten, but capable of giving us the authentic taste of the alpine territory.
