Alberto Oggero
Alberto Oggero is at the forefront of the beautiful shake-up that Roero has been experiencing for some years. Located just across the Tanaro River from Barbaresco, Roero is an area of domed hills shaped by extinct rivers, with soils derived from limestone and the marine sands of an ancient sea known as the Golfo Padano. These sandy, rocky soils give Nebbiolo and Arneis bright, crunchy, and fragrant personalities and provide the starting point for Alberto's winemaking philosophy. Alberto inherited his land from his grandfather, Sandro, a simple and self-sufficient farmer who cultivated several small vineyards in Santo Stefano Roero. As a young boy, Alberto relished his time with his grandfather, following him around the vineyard and cellar and spending as much time as possible among the vines. This passion only continued as he grew older, and while his father and uncle followed different paths, Alberto decided to study viticulture in Alba. When Sandro passed away in 1999, Alberto returned home and set to work to restore his grandfather's small plots and buildings, all by hand. After ten years of experimentation, Alberto released his first wine in 2009. Alberto farms organically and works tirelessly in the vineyards to ensure the purity of the fruit to best express the region's soils. He works on the family's original 4.2ha and recently acquired two new parcels of Nebbiolo, including one with vines up to 100 years old. In the cellar, only native yeasts are used, and there is no fining or filtration. The goal is to create wines that combine drinkability with a strong expression of terroir, savory and soulful renditions of Arneis and Nebbiolo unique to the Roero.
