Description
“Sometimes it takes an outsider to truly appreciate the gifts and potential of a region. I first met Dave Fletcher, a native of Australia, at Ceretto, where he is the winemaker. A few years ago Fletcher started making wines under his own label at a tiny cellar that was once a train station in the flats of Barbaresco, below Marchesi di Grèsy. The first wines are certainly impressive. In a very short time, by Italian standards, Fletcher has managed to forge some pretty strong relationships that give him access to top-tier fruit. More importantly, Fletcher clearly understands the potential of Piedmont, something not all of the locals do, and he has the ambition, commitment and sheer drive to go after his dreams. That’s pretty impressive stuff in my book” – Antonio Galloni – Vinous
The story of Fletcher is one of struggle, passion and determination to win over the local community and in turn the greater wine world that an historical region such as Barolo or Barbaresco can accept outsiders who believe in the region as passionately as if they were born there. Now an established producer of Barbaresco alongside Nebbiolo d’Alba, Barbera d’Asti and Langhe Chardonnay.
After stints in Australia David Fletcher flew in 2007 to Piedmont to work his first vintage at the world famous Ceretto estate and to this day is the winemaker there. After falling in love with Nebbiolo and the region he moved his family and begun his dream of making his own wines and establish an estate in Barbaresco. What has to be said is that as an Australian living in the region he was very much the outsider. How dare an Australian make Barbaresco and label under his own name? Just a few of the speed bumps along the way. Ceretto have been so supportive of David’s project and up to the 2017 vintage all the wines are vinified by David at Ceretto. However this was only the beginning.
About this wine: Sourced from three small plots David used to work with until 2021, year when he purchased the Bricco Capre vineyard in San Rocco Seno d’Elvio. In 2023 this vineyard was tremendously hit by hail so David had to rely on his historical sources to produce Barbera and Dolcetto. The location is Castagnole Delle Lanze, in the province of Asti (hence the appellation change to Asti DOCG), North-East of Barbaresco. Farmed organically on three different exposures at higher altitudes on white calcareous clay soils.
The fruit is hand picked, open fermented with 50% left as whole bunch and only hand plunged. Pressed to 300 litres seasoned oak barrels for 9 months. Bottled unlined and unfiltered.
“My decision to do whole bunch is because Barbera can really easily get blown out, it ripens super fast. In factit’s one of the earliest reds to come in for our area but it’s the fastest ripening in terms of sugar accumulation. It will race to 15-16% alcohol before you know it and to temper that I spend a lot of time in the vineyard trying to focus on that picking time, which is difficult because it’s the other thing about Barbera it’s got a huge amount of acidity. So you’ve got to find that kind of balance between the sugar accumulation and the dropping of the acid as the maturation goes on.” – David
RRP $63 Our Special Price $49.99 when you buy 6 or more of this wine.
