Description
Gian Luca belongs to a new generation of hyper-talented wine growers in Langa now making their debut in the US market. Like many producers of his age, Gian Luca has studied winemaking at the famous Scuola Enologica in Alba and worked as a consultant for several important wineries in Barolo before releasing his own wines in 2017. In our view, Gian Luca embodies our ideal of an artisanal wine grower, part scientist and part farmer. In his holistic approach to winemaking he uses his brain as well as his heart and soul. He practices biodynamic farming, refrains from the use of any chemicals and lets nature work its magic, literally “holding the hand” of each wine during the fermentation and aging process. Gian Luca crafts wines that are authentic artisanal gems that reflect both the site specificity of their origin and the varietal character of the grapes they are made from.
Gian Luca’s winemaking is not based on dogmas or fixed formulas but rather on applying his knowledge, intuition, past experience, and common sense to an ever-changing environment. Because each harvest comes with its own different climatic conditions and set of challenges, Gian Luca eschews winemaking protocols and will make courageous choices in the vineyard and in the cellar based on the specificities of each year, with the goal of letting the varietal character and sense of place emerge naturally in each wine. For example, while fermentations are always carried over spontaneously with native yeasts in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, other elements like length of maceration or use of submerged cap will vary each year. Aging may take place in various vessels: cement, stainless steel, terracotta amphora and large Austrian oak casks, depending on the characteristics of the fruit. The result is a winemaking approach that blends numbers and intuition, viticultural science and biodynamic philosophy, and long experience and humble common sense, striving each year for the perfect balance that makes wine unique.
Gian Luca’s wines brim with poised energy and radiant elegance; they are vital and alive and will continue to evolve, just like Nature does every day.
From Gian Luca’s own old vineyard in Roddi, fermented with native yeasts and roughly 20-25 days of maceration, sometimes with submerged cap (depending on the vintage). Aged in a combination of large, neutral Austrian casks and sometimes amphorae for 12-14 months. This is a juicy, subtle, elegant Nebbiolo offering notes of wild berries, forest floor and a super focused, delicate finish.
