a little about Olek Bondonio and his wine
From selling wine in Sardegna during the Napleonic era to growing & making wine for family, the Bondonio family has been in the wine business for hundreds of years. In fact, in 1894, his great, great, great, great grandfather worked with Domizio Cavazza to create Barbaresco!
As a young boy, Olek spent summers at "La Berchialla" with his grandparents at the family summer home. Watching his magistrate grandfather relax among the vines created quite an impression on young Olek. Pursuits of a snowboarding career took him away but when the time came, he returned to the old family home. He was the first of his family to dedicate himself to being a vigneron. College and time spent in France, Australia, New Zealand & Oregon gave him the background as well as the courage to begin on his own. He became the only person to make a single vineyard wine from the Roncagliette vineyard and his attention-to-detail in the vineyard and sensitive approach in the cantina ensure that each wine speaks of this wonderful place.
Olek makes the wines in an old farmhouse perched above some of Barbaresco's most storied crus at "La Berchialla" where his family has lived and worked in for over 200 years.
The sight has been carefully chosen on a sunny hill above the Tanaro River and faces the Alps. The gentle microclimate is due to it’s closeness to the river and makes this land ideal for vineyards.
Olek believes that by hard work in the vineyard and not cutting corners, he is able to produce healthy grapes and wines that accurately reflect these hills. His pride and joy is his Barbaresco. From plots of low-yielding old vines it is basket pressed, fermented with wild yeasts for 60 days on skins and aged in botti grandi until ready. Proper, old-school Nebbiolo of ochre colour heady perfume.
As well as Nebbiolo, he makes Dolcetto and Barbera but also a very incredible and delicious example of Piedmont's heirloom varietal Pelaverga from just four rows planted by Olek's father in firm clay soils in one of Barbaresco's most famous sites.
