Eugenio Bocchino

Eugenio Bocchino and Cinzia Pelazza manage 5.5 hectares of vineyards in La Morra, right in the heart of the Barolo region. Some of these vineyards once belonged to Cinzia's grandfather, while others were acquired over their 20-year winemaking career. Similar to Burgundy, the Barolo region is characterized by its rigorous focus on single vineyard vinification, although the hierarchy of vineyards is conceived in a much more democratic manner. There are no Grand or Premier Crus here, but centuries of experience have crystallized subtle differences between villages, individual vineyards, their exposures, and their reputations.

Nebbiolo Worlds

Eugenio and Cinzia vinify 95% Nebbiolo, the prominent grape variety of the region. The most famous of their crus is the La Serra vineyard. They own both old and young vine plots there, which they cultivate separately and blend just before bottling. Intensity and power are at the forefront of La Serra. A second Barolo forgoes the vineyard designation and is named after their daughter, Lu. This wine is more structured, aged in larger oak barrels and for one year in concrete. Here, power is replaced by elegance, and intensity by subtlety. The third major Nebbiolo is not a Barolo, as the La Perucca vineyard, although located precisely between Barolo and Barbaresco, lies outside the sacred Nebbiolo zones.

La Perucca is less sandy than the other six plots owned by Eugenio and Cinzia, but its soil is also primarily composed of clay and limestone. A fourth Nebbiolo, Roccabella, is elegant, puristic, and straightforward, finely crafted and delicate, forming the impressive introduction to Eugenio and Cinzia's Nebbiolo worlds.

5% of the vineyard area is dedicated to Barbera, which Eugenio and Cinzia tend and vinify with the same meticulous care as their Nebbiolos.

After conventional beginnings, they switched to organic and then to biodynamic management in 2010. They are members of Nicolas Joly's Renaissance des Terroirs group and the natural wine movement ViniVeri. In the vineyard, there is a constant effort to reduce sulfur and copper as much as possible. To achieve this, Eugenio also experiments with various preparations and oils. In the cellar, spontaneous fermentation is the rule, and the wines are aged mainly in large wooden barrels. The wines are neither filtered nor clarified, and apart from a little sulfur, Eugenio and Cinzia avoid any additives.

P.S.: A few years ago, Cinzia and Eugenio indulged their passion for Sardinia and its wines, acquiring three hectares of vineyards in Gallura, where they produce Vermentino using the same principles as in Barolo.