Olek Bondonio Langhe Rosso Giulietta Pelaverga 2023

Pelaverga is Piedmont’s answer to Cru Beaujolais, a bright and fragrant variety with plenty of charm. The majority of the fruit here comes from Olek’s Roncagliette vineyard in Barbaresco which is blessed with a southern exposure and firm clay-limestone soils. Fermented in a mix of stainless steel and concrete, depending on the vintage; a short élevage is done in neutral barrels afterward. Unfined, unfiltered, with moderate amounts of SO2 (10-20ppm max) added just before bottling. Pairing classic Pelaverga notes of strawberries and spice with fine tannins thanks to the pedigree of the site, tis is probably the most deeply red-fruited and mineral Pelaverga we know, not nearly as rustic and peppery as many others in the region. Gorgeous.

Olek Bondonio has become one of the most sought after names in Barbaresco. He grew up in the family’s farmhouse, ‘La Berchialla’, which sits amongst Barbaresco’s most famous crus and has been in his family for 200 years. He used to visit the farmhouse each summer, studying the vineyard workers with intent. A seed was sown and after conquering Italy as a professional snowboarder, he turned his mind to wine, working in the Langhe and also abroad before returning home to look after the family’s vineyards. Olek is lucky enough to work with some of the very best sites in Piemonte and does everything he can to make sure each wine speaks of this wonderful place. Vineyard work is fantastic, with a real attention to detail borne from doing everything himself, while his winemaking exhibits a patience beyond his years. The resulting wines are pure, old-fashioned expressions of Piemonte’s many wonderful grapes.