2010 Olek Bondonio, Langhe Nebbiolo DOC, Roncagliette, Piedmonte, Italy.
From Barbaresco and more importantly from the same Barbaresco vineyard that Gaja calls Sori Tildin! This is the real deal, and another major discovery, thank you DFB Selections and Tanaro River Imports for showing me this great wine. As natural and organic as it gets, Bondonio is crafting some amazing wines, with this Langhe Nebbiolo from Roncagliette being a stunner. This Nebbiolo, fermented with wild/native yeast, with almost no sulphur added, aged in big neutral cask and bottled unfined or filtered is ripe, showing fine tannins, balanced and positively beautiful with a floral and herbal bouquet with dried roses, lavender, tarry earth notes, anise and tangy red fruits leading to a medium bodied palate of spiced plum, currant, red cherry, reduced strawberry/rhubarb fruits with savory all spice, chalky minerals, truffle and hosin sauce. Be care to keep this wine stable, store in a cool dark spot and let settle before drinking, I bounced my sample bottle around and it took an hour to come back to life, and it tastes much better with an ever so slight chill on it, natural wines tend to be a bit delicate, but this one is worth the extra care. Bravo to Olek and his team, this is a wonderful wine, be sure to look for it.
($30 Est.) 93 Points, grapelive
