Il Sorpasso 'Tachiss' Red Blend, Carema, Italy

High up in the misty foothills where Piemonte meets the Val d’Aosta, you’ll find Il Sorpasso—a labor of love carved quite literally into the mountainside. This tiny, organic winery is the vision of Vittorio Garda and Martina Ghirardo, partners in life and in wine, who tend their vines by hand along precarious terraces between 350 and 700 meters above sea level. Their Tachiss red blend is as much an expression of place as it is of the people who craft it: rustic, soulful, and quietly complex. It’s a wine that speaks of stone walls warmed by the afternoon sun, alpine breezes, and a deep reverence for native grapes rarely seen outside these rugged slopes.

Product Details:

• Blend: 50–60% Picotendro (local Nebbiolo clone) with Ner d’Ala, Neretto, and Erbaluce (composition varies by vintage)
• Appellation: Vino da Tavola (Carema and Settimo Vittone vineyards)
• Farming: Organic (practicing)
• Elevation: 350–700 meters
• Vine Age: 2–70 years
• Harvest: Late October, 100% hand-harvested
• Fermentation: Native yeast; 20% whole cluster; no temperature control; macerated for 40–50 days
• Aging: 6 months in stainless steel, 6 months in neutral wood (30% barrique, 70% tonneaux)
• Bottling: Unfined, unfiltered
• Alcohol: 13.5%
• Residual Sugar: Less than 1 g/L
• Total Acidity: 6.56 g/L
• pH: 3.43
• Total Sulfur: 50 mg/L
• Winemakers: Vittorio Garda & Martina Ghirardo
• Closure: Technical cap

Sensory Description

Pour a glass of Tachiss, and you’re greeted with a deep rose hue kissed by red-orange highlights—a little nod to the alpine sunsets that fall over Carema’s terraced vineyards. The aromatics are delicate yet persistent: fresh rose petals, wild strawberries, and a whisper of anise. On the palate, it’s lively and graceful, with juicy cherry and berry flavors layered over subtle herbaceousness. There’s an unmistakable Nebbiolo backbone—a gentle bite of tannin that gives this light-bodied red its structure and charm. Jessica often says, “This wine doesn’t shout; it hums—bright, pure, and alive.”

Winemaker’s Background:

Il Sorpasso is the alpine dream of Vittorio Garda and Martina Ghirardo, who began their journey in 2012 with a rented vineyard and a lot of grit. Together, they’ve restored ancient terraces in Carema, a tiny, remote DOC at Piemonte’s northwestern tip. These steep, hand-built plots are some of Italy’s most heroic vineyards, worked entirely by hand and often with the help of small baskets to carry grapes down the mountainside. Vittorio and Martina farm organically, focus on indigenous grapes like Picotendro, Neretto, and Ner d’Ala, and craft their wines with minimal intervention. Their winery and cellar are housed in a restored 200-year-old building—a testament to their patience and dedication to tradition.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve Tachiss lightly chilled, around 60°F, to accentuate its vibrant fruit and floral character. This is a red that’s versatile across the seasons: pair it with seared ahi tuna, roast chicken with herbs, or a simple prime rib. In cooler months, it’s lovely alongside mushroom risotto or Canavesana-style stews. Or enjoy it the Italian way—on its own, as an aperitivo, watching the sun set over your little slice of sky.