Stefano Occhetti Langhe Nebbiolo 2024

Stefano Occhetti is a young engineer-turned-winegrower who came home to Monteu Roero in 2019 to take over 1.8 hectares of vineyards his grandfather planted in the 1960s. He works with his wife, Giulia, on steep, amphitheater-shaped slopes that have to be farmed almost entirely by hand, and he makes the wine in a converted garage beneath the family home. In just a few vintages he has become one of the most exciting new names in Roero, the area across the Tanaro River from Barolo and Barbaresco. This is 100% Nebbiolo, organically farmed, from south- and southwest-facing vineyards in Monteu Roero (Occhetti and Bric Rossino-Vadonia) and Vezza d'Alba (Sanche), at 260–280 meters on very sandy soils. Roero's sand gives Nebbiolo a pure, perfumed, and lifted style, with softer tannins than its Langhe neighbors, so it's delicious young. The grapes are hand-harvested and fermented with native yeasts in concrete, using a traditional floating-cap maceration, then aged several months in a mix of old wood and steel to keep the fruit fresh. Tasting notes: Bright ruby. Fresh and perfumed, with red cherry, raspberry, and wild strawberry, rose petal and violet, and a hint of sweet spice. The palate is light to medium-bodied and juicy, with lively acidity, gentle, fine-grained tannins, and a clean, refreshing finish. Stefano himself calls it his "casual" Nebbiolo: vibrant, straightforward, and full of energy.