Bonarda Piemontese 'Bonanova' 2018

During our weekend off, I visited their estate to taste the wines. I witnessed firsthand the tremendous effort they invest in the vineyards, which look distinctly different from most I had worked in, boasting a lush cover crop and employing minimal copper and sulfur. They operate in the original underground cellar, hand-built by Giulia's father, a remarkable feat considering his background as a mason or architect. They predominantly use old large wooden casks and are implementing extended aging, just starting to release wines after years of cellaring.

Davide met Giulia over five years ago while making a documentary film about natural winemaking in Italy. She is incredibly charismatic; frankly, I wanted to stay in Piedmonte with them both. They share similar winemaking philosophies, focusing on farming and minimal intervention in the cellar. However, a natural tension arises when discussing ideas, as Giulia carries the estate's name and history.

The wines are dense, serious, and a bit brooding, yet with a salinity I didn't taste often during my trip. Asti, situated on an ancient seabed, features land with white and blue clays mixed with sand and tuff. This bottling comprises of 100% Bonarda Piemontese, a rare grape seldom planted and rarely used 100% in bottlings. This grape should not be confused with the wine Bonarda, mainly composed of Croatina and is unrelated to the Argentinian grape. Both I Versanti and Gonella work with this grape, known for being more aromatic and lower in alcohol than the widely planted Barbera. J'adore!

- Rebekah