In fact, there are countless Barolo and Barbaresco DOCG wines at twice the price and more that don't deliver at this very high level. This is not only my favorite Langhe Nebbiolo but nothing even comes close in my opinion. Olek's Langhe Nebbiolo is all sourced from Roncagliette (Olek's home vineyard, aka Gaja Sori Tildin and Costa Russi at $300 per bottle) and Starderi in Neive. this usually means young vines, fruit from vines on less than perfect and often undesirable terroirs, less time aging in cask and sometimes no cask at all. The Langhe Nebbiolo designation is the only way for Barolo and Barbaresco prodcuers to declassify their production into a d.o.c. We don't often hear the words affordable and Nebbiolo in the same sentence but there a few examples. I know that's an oversimplification of things but it's not far from reality here. Olek's approach to winemaking is a custodial one start with the best fruit your terroir can give, crush it and make sure nothing goes wrong until it's time to bottle. For as much work as he gives the vines, the wines get almost no attention. Most great winemakers will tell you that the wine is made in the vineyard and while I'd never argue with that, very few of these winemakers are actually out there doing this backbreaking work. The same one he almost randomly ran me over with on a bike ride through the hills here a couple of years ago. Not the typical landowner's crest, castle or portrait of a decrepit ancestor found on so many of these wines but a modern piece of farm equipment.
Not surprising since he spends so much time in his vineyards.
I visit the azienda and taste at least once a year and every time I see him he seems to be covered in dirt. This despite the fact that he produces next to no wine. Since starting his winery in 2005 on a family estate in the commune of Barbaresco, Olek has managed to gather quite the worldwide following for his traditional Barbarescos and a handful of traditional Langhe wines like this one.
I've written plenty about Olek Bondonio and his great Barbarescos and other traditional Langhe wines and I'm not the only one. Baby Barbaresco from one of the Langhe's rising stars