The Brovia philosophy is neatly summed up on the front of their T-shirts: ‘Pure terroir: climate, soil, grape variety, heart’.

If the first words are self-evident, the ‘heart’ picks up the vital human intervention in the process and the passion of the grower and winemaker. ‘Grape variety’ is also particularly important here for two reasons. First, Brovia only works with native grape varieties. Even their sparkling wine is an unusual blend of Barbera, Nebbiolo and Freisa. Second, while they have prestigious vineyards which could all be planted with Nebbiolo for Barolo, they have chosen to keep plantings of Dolcetto and Barbera. It is particularly rare for top growers to keep Dolcetto in prized Serralunga vineyards that could be planted with Nebbiolo. This is a serious financial sacrifice, but Brovia continues to treasure the 60-year-old Dolcetto vines in order to make some of the most structured and impressive wines from this variety. Similarly, Barbera is grown in the same top vineyards.

The Brovia family wine business goes back to 1863 and the current company to 1953. Phylloxera, economic hard times and two world wars led to an interruption of production, which was restarted by Giacinto and Raffaele, the third generation. It continues now with the fourth generation, Elena Brovia and her husband, Àlex Sánchez. The principal vineyards, from a total of nearly 17 hectares, are to be found in two villages: near the winery in Castiglione Falletto and from 1995, in Serralunga d’Alba. Currently, some future proofing is underway with the acquisition of vineyards at higher elevations outside Barolo, including in nearby Albereto della Torre at 560 metres elevation.

In the vineyards, Elena works hard to protect the fruit from sunburn by a light shading in the canopy. In the hottest places, such as in Villero, there is both grass cover and additional hay as a mulch to reduce the temperature of the ground. In cooler positions and under the influence of the advice of Simonit and Sirch, pruning experts, winter pruning is delayed to delay bud break to reduce the risk of loss through spring frosts. Careful canopy management extends to leaving more leaves on the hotter side of rows and allowing more exposure on the cooler side. In general, the vineyard management is marked by great attention to detail. 

The Brea MGA in Serralunga d’Alba is now an eight-hectare monopole owned by Brovia. The opportunity to acquire this vineyard, along with part of the neighbouring Gianetto, arose because Elena’s father was acquainted with the Milanese businessman who owned the Brea farmhouse. In the 1980s, the owner needed someone to tend to the vineyard, and Giacinto Brovia took on the task, receiving payment in grapes. By 1995, the owner wished to sell, and the Brovia family initially purchased the Ca’Mia portion, eventually also acquiring the other parcels. Thus, a Castiglione Falletto family became the proud owners of significant vineyards in Serralunga d’Alba. 

The Vigna Ca’Mia bottling comes from the family’s oldest vines, planted in 1955, the heart of the Brea MGA in Serralunga d’Alba. The aspect is south to southeast, the elevation 300–370 metres and there is a higher percentage of limestone than in Castiglione Falletto, resulting in fruitier, more powerful wines. The vines are refreshed by a wind in summer that blows in the early afternoon. It is a less well-known MGA simply because no important winery was based here in the past, but Ratti noted its special characteristics on his famous map and classification.