CARETAKERS
OF HISTORY
– Image courtesy of Giulia Negri
Whilst our obsession is deeply rooted in Australian wine and its emerging producers, of course we love many wines from around the world, and from two regions in particular: Piedmont and Burgundy.
Piedmont in the north-west of Italy is one of the world’s true epicurean paradises: alongside beautiful wines, its food, history and culture are close to our hearts. Burgundy, with its golden slopes, needs no introduction.
We are fortunate to work with a small collective of producers whose ethos complements our own. These winemakers care for special sites laden in history, prescribe to traditional production methods blended with the latest science, and share a deep regard for sustainability, to help preserve these ancient holdings for generations to come.
ITALY
Bruna Grimaldi (organic)
Grinzane Cavour & Serralunga, Barolo
The Grimaldi’s have a long history of grape growing in the Langhe, back to the 1960s when they primarily produced wine in bulk for local markets and occasionally for the family table in exceptional years.
Fast forward to 1989 and a young, ambitious Bruna enters the business, gradually acquiring more vineyard holdings to improve the quality of their production and deciding to commercial bottle under her own 'Bruna Grimaldi' label in 1999. And what a year to begin.
Now headed up by fourth generation siblings Martina and Simone, children of Bruna and Franco, 'Bruna Grimaldi' continues to flourish, producing classic expressions of regional hero varieties from their 14 hectares of organic estate holdings, spanning Grinzane Cavour, Verduno, La Morra, Roddi, and Serralunga, including ‘Vigna Regnola’ in Bardarina, one of the regions 60 recognised great sites, perched between ‘Falletto’ & ‘Francia’.
Winemaking is simple and classic. Stainless is prized for freshness in Barbera, Nebbiolo and Dolcetto, and large concrete vats, relics from the 1950s, are used too. No small or new wood is used, with Simone favouring large neutral Botti Grandi for long resting periods: commonly +30 months for their Baroli wines, which also see a period in concrete to settle pre bottling.
Cascina Delle Rose (organic)
Tre Stelle, Barbaresco
Operated by brothers and third generation custodians Davide and Riccardo, Cascina Delle Rose is a five hectare organic estate high in the Alban Hills in the Rio Sordo Valley of Barbaresco. Calcareous soils on steep hillside vineyards are tended by hand by the brothers, although this is Davide’s area of expertise, with Riccardo managing operations in the cellar with a ‘less is more’ approach.
Purity and freshness are at the fore of Dolcetto and Nebbiolo. Only stainless steel is used for the village wines, while large, old (steamed only) Swiss and Slavonian casks are used for extended maturation of their two Cru wines: the muscular 'Rio Sordo' and more ethereal ’Tre Stelle’, the former of which they are the only producer to make a single Vintage/Cru wine from.
Diego Rivetti
Serralunga d’Alba, Barolo
A designer by trade, Diego teamed up with childhood friend Elena (a Milanese surgeon) to pursue their passion in winemaking almost a decade ago. Since, the duo have planted and farmed some of the most revered sites in the commune of Serralunga d’Alba.
The sites were replanted in 2018 in the crus of Broglio, Damiano and the third at the top of the Vignarionda Spur, which formerly went into Elena’s family label Guido Masso. The latter was classified as ‘Vignarionda’ until breakdown in family succession in 1981 saw the end of the label and sadly, the old vines uprooted.
A pragmatic use of science, classic winemaking technique and considered farming are helping Diego understand these special plots. While it’s still young vine material, much promise is already on show. A long and bright future lies ahead, which greatly excites us.
– Image courtesy of Giulia Negri
Giulia Negri (ORGANIC)
Serradenari, La Morra, Barolo
Situated in the ‘Serradenari' Cru of La Morra, Giulia's vineyards are the highest plantings in the Barolo region at up to 546 MASL and one of the last remaining combined truffle forests and grape growing operations in the Langhe Hills.
Magnesium and limestone rich sandy soils are unique to Serradenari, though not so common to the wider region. These, coupled with traditional winemaking, long maceration and elevage times in botti-grandi, and minimal handling and movement in the winery result in elegant, finely framed and powerful Barolo wines that are delicious young and have long lives ahead of them for those patient enough wait.
Manuel Priolo (ORGANIC)
Monte Roero, Anime Nere, Roero
Perched on the steep Monteu Roero slopes, between two ancient Rocche, Manuele Priolo’s Anime Nere vineyard is a true 'Vigneto Eroico' or heroic vineyard. With gradients ranging 35-50%, the site is terraced and has been hand-farmed by Manuele’s family since the 1950s.
His syntropic, chemical-free farming fosters biodiversity and long-term ecological resilience. The site also feeds his family and supports their animals, forming a closed, living ecosystem.
In 2020, Manuele took full control, replanting with massale selections that are now being studied by Anna Schneider at Torino University as a potentially unique Roero Nebbiolo biotype, native only to the Roero. The vines show remarkable natural resistance to disease and drought, hinting at local evolutionary adaptation.
Winemaking is uber traditional: raw-wood Grenier vats, submerged-cap maceration, no additives, and twelve months in large botti. Bottled with only a tiny amount of SO2, the wine reflects purity, place, and patience. Through his farming and wines, Manuele offers a compelling, biodiversity-driven vision for Roero’s future, made in minuscule quantities.
San Barnaba (ORGANIC)
Serralunga & Verduno, Barolo
Launched in 2023, San Barnaba is the exciting new passion project of three friends who grew up in the region: brothers Giovanni and Roberto Pasquero (leading vineyard-specific real estate agents), and winemaking agronomist Francesco ‘Cisky’ Rocca (who, at the age of 39, has completed 27 harvests at his family’s Azienda, Brunno Rocca, one of Barbaresco’s great addresses). Four hectares of estate vineyards are run organically, including plots in Barbaresco cru's; ‘Cars' & 'Rio Sordo', high-altitude vineyards in Santo Stefano Belbo, and from 2024, two famed Barolo plots join the fold: ‘Serra’, Serralunga and ‘Monvigliero’, Verduno, the latter also gaining substantial new Peleverga plantings.
"Wines to be made with friends, for friends” says Cisky. The wines’ styles aren’t seeking to be perfect, rather aiming to stir emotion and nod to regional styles of yesteryear: those their grandparents made, showing fruit purity and site above all else. The range focuses not only on Nebbiolo, but also Timorasso, Freisa and Peleverga.
An old farmhouse in Serralunga has been extensively renovated and the wines rest in a plethora of ancient tanks and large casks, some as much as 100 years old and all purposely restored to gently mature the wines in cold underground cellars, intentionally void of electrical interference. An exciting project with a big future we are thrilled to welcome to Australia in spring 2025.
FRANCE
Domaine Les Astrelles (ORGANIC)
Gevrey Chambertin
Domaine les Astrelles commenced in 2019 when Domaine Pierre Naigeon (one of Gevrey’s biodynamic stalwarts) was purchased by Isabelle and Jean-Marie Chapier. In 2020, they partnered with young regional star Julien Millet, formerly of Domaine Comte du Vogue in Chambolle-Musigny, where he worked under his esteemed father Francois for six harvests, amongst a handful of other Burgundy domaines, and currently aids his family's label Francois Millet & Fils.
The Domaine holds 11 hectares of certified-organic plantings, spanning the Côte d’Or and up into the Haute-Côtes de Nuits. Whilst red wines are a focus of the domaine, with great named plots up and down the Côte d’Or, Julien sees much potential in Aligotés’ future, namely due to its ability to weather the effects of climate change and express terroir. They have invested heavily in many old vine plots which is a focus of white wine production.
It is rare that holdings of this pedigree change hands in Burgundy, let alone to such progressive thinkers, and we’re thrilled to welcome them to Australian shores in spring 2025.
Domaine d’Alussia (Organic & Biodynamic)
Aloxe-Corton, Burgundy
Domaine d’Alussia is a new micro-negotiant comprising three hectares of both owned and managed Negoce fruit sources in the Côte d’Or, steered by young Australian winemaker, Alexandra Wilson.
Alex is no stranger to winemaking in Burgundy, completing her first harvest in 2011 after high school with her winemaking aunt Jane Eyre, followed by five summers working harvests over the next decade. All the while studying to become a pharmaceutical researcher in Melbourne. Alex knew deep down that winemaking would become a larger part of her life and her transition across science disciplines chasing a creative life in the outdoors was somewhat a dream come true for her.
After moving to Beaune to studying winemaking in 2021, Alex returned for Australian harvests over the next few years: in Tassie with the Chatto’s and Mount Pleasant in the Hunter, which led her to Benjamin Leroux for two harvests before joining d’Alussia in 2023.
Alex’s approach in the winery heralds elegance and finesse, favouring old oak, Clayver ceramic vessels and stainless steel to capture rthe freshness of the plots she also manages with the help of viticulturist royalty, Bernard Zito.
This is an exciting project that we’re thrilled to share with Australian drinkers.
