Ruché

Ruché is a grape that almost died out after World War II. Grape growers and producers were eager to get back to work and largely decided to go with what people knew and loved – Nebbiolo to make Barolo and Barbaresco. The Ruché grape, which was seen as a grape mostly for blending or used to make sweet wines, got lost in the shuffle. 
 
It wasn’t until the 1960s that Ruché made its return when a new parish priest arrived in the Piedmont village of Castagnole Monferrato. Don Giacomo Cauda, whose father was a winemaker, came across the grape in his monastery and fell in love with it. 
 
The Monsignor saw Ruché’s potential and was the first to bottle it as a single varietal wine. Ruché’s floral aromas and hints of pepper differentiate itself from Piedmont’s other red grapes known for their bold tannins and bright red fruit flavors. 
 
A sign at the outskirts of Castagnole Monferrato reads, “If someone hands you a glass of Ruché, that means they like you.” Castagnole Monferrato is a lovely place, but you don’t have to travel all that way to get a bottle of their cherished wine. We have plenty, so feel free to stop by and pick some up and see for yourself why people are so fond of Ruché.