Olek Bondonio
From Pro Snowboarder to Barbaresco Specialist
The wines
Before Olek Bondonio took over his parents’ estate in Barbaresco, snowboarding, surfing and a degree in agriculture shaped his path. Since 2005 he has run La Berchialla with an unconventional, down-to-earth approach: traditional handwork in the vineyard meets gentle cellar work with minimal intervention.
The estate covers around six hectares in first-class sites, among them its centrepiece, the Cru Roncagliette. On the calcareous clay and marl soils, the vines are farmed without chemical-synthetic agents. Alongside Nebbiolo, Bondonio also cultivates parcels of Barbera, Dolcetto and Pelaverga.
Fermentation takes place spontaneously with wild yeasts, followed by ageing in large, used casks of Slavonian oak. The wines are neither fined nor filtered; they receive only small doses of sulphur.
Bondonio’s Barbarescos reflect their origin without embellishment. They win you over with their firm structure, bright berry fruit, fine spice and pronounced ageing potential. Just as winning is Olek’s open, likeable manner: you fall into conversation with him straight away and would love to open a bottle with him on the spot.
At a glance
- Region
- Piedmont
- Sub-region
- Barbaresco (sites: Roncagliette, Starderi)
- Grape varieties
- Nebbiolo, Barbera, Dolcetto, Pelaverga
- Soils
- Calcareous clay and marl
- Farming
- Organic
Which Bondonio suits your occasion?
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