Region: Piedmont, Italy (Barbaresco DOCG)
Grapes: 100% Nebbiolo
Body: Medium to Full
Notes: Wild red berries, dried rose petals, leathery tilled earth, cocoa nib, and a distinct tarry, mineral-driven depth with open, savory complexity
Pairing: Slow-cooked beef osso buco, tajarin pasta with shaved white truffles, roasted wild game, or an aged, crusty Castelmagno cheese
The Producer
Fabio Gea is one of the most eccentric, uncompromising, and deeply authoritative figures in Piedmont’s natural wine landscape. A former geologist with a PhD, Fabio walked away from corporate life to reclaim a tiny, jigsaw puzzle of ancient, family plots near the Bricco in Barbaresco, originally bequeathed to him by his grandfather, "Notu." Managing less than two hectares of vines, Fabio treats his land as a wild, biodiverse garden, co-planting fruit trees and utilizing only minimal copper, sulfur, and plant-based concoctions. In the cellar, his approach is completely renegade: he utilizes handmade porcelain and stoneware amphorae that he designs himself, and he conditions his large, older wood barrels by applying volcanic stones heated to intense temperatures to vaporize wood oils without charring or toasting the oak. Each bottle is an artisanal artifact, finished with hand-pressed pulp paper labels and individually numbered by hand.
The Wine
The 2020 "Nòtu seguiva le gocce d'acqua" (which beautifully translates to "Notu followed the drops of water") is a remarkably soulful, deeply texturized Barbaresco engineered to honor traditional Nebbiolo while asserting an independent, raw identity. Sourced from the exact same ancient, high-elevation parcel as his "Nòtu preparava" bottling, the destemmed grapes undergo a patient, month-long spontaneous fermentation driven by native wild yeasts inside concrete vats. While some of his cuvées transition quickly into porcelain, this specific selection is tucked away to rest for an extended 26 months in Fabio's specialized, untoasted old oak casks before completing a final conditioning phase in stoneware vessels. Bottled completely unfined, unfiltered, and with zero added sulfur, the 2020 vintage shows off exceptional scannability on the palate; it completely bypasses standard woody overtones to uncover a highly expressive, open-knit weave of earthy, leathery undertones, framed by classical, dusty alpine tannins and an elegant, mineral-driven finish.
Region: Piedmont, Italy (Barbaresco DOCG)
Grapes: 100% Nebbiolo
Body: Medium to Full
Notes: Wild red berries, dried rose petals, leathery tilled earth, cocoa nib, and a distinct tarry, mineral-driven depth with open, savory complexity
Pairing: Slow-cooked beef osso buco, tajarin pasta with shaved white truffles, roasted wild game, or an aged, crusty Castelmagno cheese
The Producer
Fabio Gea is one of the most eccentric, uncompromising, and deeply authoritative figures in Piedmont’s natural wine landscape. A former geologist with a PhD, Fabio walked away from corporate life to reclaim a tiny, jigsaw puzzle of ancient, family plots near the Bricco in Barbaresco, originally bequeathed to him by his grandfather, "Notu." Managing less than two hectares of vines, Fabio treats his land as a wild, biodiverse garden, co-planting fruit trees and utilizing only minimal copper, sulfur, and plant-based concoctions. In the cellar, his approach is completely renegade: he utilizes handmade porcelain and stoneware amphorae that he designs himself, and he conditions his large, older wood barrels by applying volcanic stones heated to intense temperatures to vaporize wood oils without charring or toasting the oak. Each bottle is an artisanal artifact, finished with hand-pressed pulp paper labels and individually numbered by hand.
The Wine
The 2020 "Nòtu seguiva le gocce d'acqua" (which beautifully translates to "Notu followed the drops of water") is a remarkably soulful, deeply texturized Barbaresco engineered to honor traditional Nebbiolo while asserting an independent, raw identity. Sourced from the exact same ancient, high-elevation parcel as his "Nòtu preparava" bottling, the destemmed grapes undergo a patient, month-long spontaneous fermentation driven by native wild yeasts inside concrete vats. While some of his cuvées transition quickly into porcelain, this specific selection is tucked away to rest for an extended 26 months in Fabio's specialized, untoasted old oak casks before completing a final conditioning phase in stoneware vessels. Bottled completely unfined, unfiltered, and with zero added sulfur, the 2020 vintage shows off exceptional scannability on the palate; it completely bypasses standard woody overtones to uncover a highly expressive, open-knit weave of earthy, leathery undertones, framed by classical, dusty alpine tannins and an elegant, mineral-driven finish.
What is natural wine?
Natural wine is wine made with minimal intervention from the winemaker, using organically or biodynamically grown grapes and without the addition of chemicals or additives such as sulfites. The result is a wine that is unique, expressive, and often has a more complex and nuanced flavor profile than conventional wines. Natural wine is also often associated with sustainable and ethical farming practices, making it a popular choice for those interested in environmentally friendly and socially responsible products.