The groundswell of new producers within Langhe is real and very exciting. Most are not generational Piedmontese (and in some cases, not even Italian), bringing an outsider's reverence and perspective to this closely guarded area. Our newest name to arrive is Lapo Berti, a Tuscan with deep Australian ties (and residency). 

His resume is as well traveled as his background: starting his career with Selvapiana in Chianti, then learning from big names Nicolas Potel in Burgundy, Stephen Pannell in McLaren Vale and Cameron in Oregon. With a love of Nebbiolo he landed in Barolo, becoming Enzo Boglietti’s head winemaker. It’s here where he still makes his wines, focusing on Nebbiolo from La Morra. 

All three Nebbiolos come from La Morra: a Langhe, a village level Barolo and a cru Barolo from the famed Fossati vineyard. He farms organically and believes the vital soils house various plants, insects and other life to create an ecologically balanced environment for his vines.

In the cellar, the winemaking is very similar for all the wines, so the Langhe gets almost the same treatment as the cru Barolos. All the Nebbiolos see around a month of maceration with daily piegage, then move to old barrels (225 and 500L). The Barolo stays for 24 months, while the Langhe gets an impressive 18 months. 

The Barolos have more of a classic Piedmontese style, while the others are a bit more open-knit that speaks to the amount of oxygen the wines see. They remind me of the Nebbiolos coming from David Fletcher who also walks this line beautifully. 

The only non-Nebbiolo is Berti’s newest wine. In 2022, he secured vines in Dogliani, and his Dolcetto sees a serious three weeks of maceration before being pressed to tank then bottled the following summer. It’s a grippy, blue-fruited delight.