OLEK BONDONIO
Barbaresco Roncagliette 2020
Piedmont, Italy
Nebbiolo made from grapes grown in Olek’s front yard, a small parcel his family planted around fifty years ago in one of Barbaresco’s most famous crus, Roncagliette. The site is exposed full south and its firm clay-limestone soils lend the Nebbiolo from here power and finesse. This is macerated on the skins for two months before being pressed off to old botti for a couple of years. A wine of incredible complexity, power and poise where every little thing seems to be in place.
Nebbiolo
ABOUT THE PRODUCER
Olek Bondonio has become one of the most sought after names in Barbaresco.
Olek grew up in the family’s farmhouse, ‘La Berchialla’, which sits amongst Barbaresco’s most famous crus and has been in his family for several centuries. 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 Piedmont and does everything he can to make sure each wine speaks of this wonderful place. Today he farms close to seven hectares of vines, split up between Barbaresco’s Roncagliette and Starderi crus as well as parcels in Altavilla, Neive and Catagnole delle Lanze, and a famous vineyard high in the hills above Alba. Most recently, he has rented a small parcel of old vines in Verduno, from which he will produce his first Barolo, ‘San Lorenzo’.
In the vines, Olek works organically and with a real hands on approach, whilst in the cantina he works without fuss, exhibiting a patience beyond his years. The results are pure, deep and decidedly old school expressions of Piedmont’s local grapes.