Azienda Agricola Alberto Oggero is a small, family-run organic winery founded in 2009 by Alberto Oggero in Santo Stefano Roero, Roero, Piedmont, Italy. Located on the left bank of the Tanaro River, opposite Langhe’s Barolo and Barbaresco, the winery farms ~4.2 hectares across nine steep parcels in Santo Stefano Roero, Monteu Roero, and Canale, producing ~16,000 bottles annually of Arneis and Nebbiolo. Certified organic and a member of RAW WINE, Oggero’s wines, labeled as Roero DOCG, Roero Arneis, or Vino Rosso, are unfiltered, naturally fermented, and low-sulfite (30–35 mg/L), emphasizing Roero’s sandy-limestone terroir. As part of the SoloRoero collective with Cascina Fornace and Valfaccenda, Alberto champions Roero’s distinct identity. His wines, like Roero Arneis Valle dei Lunghi, Sandro d’Pindeta, and Roero Rosso Le Coste, are exported (50–60%) to Europe, the US, and Australia, with high demand due to limited production.

Winemaking Philosophy

• Organic Viticulture: Certified organic, farming 4.2 hectares of 25–100-year-old vines on sandy-limestone soils from the Pliocene-era Golfo Padano, rich in marine sands. No synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers; only sulfur and copper sprays are used. Steep slopes (e.g., Le Coste, Anime) require manual labor, with grass cover and biodiversity (microbial life, wild herbs) enhancing soil health. Low yields (~40 hl/ha) ensure concentrated fruit. Parcels like Sandro Caudana (280m, south-facing) and Valle dei Lunghi emphasize terroir diversity.

• Natural Winemaking: Minimal-intervention cellar in a restored family carriage house. Whites (Roero Arneis, Valle dei Lunghi, Bianco) ferment spontaneously with indigenous yeasts, often with 50% skin maceration (3 days), in stainless steel or concrete, aged 10–12 months in Slavonian oak or concrete. Reds (Sandro d’Pindeta, Roero Rosso Le Coste, Anime) use whole-cluster fermentation (8–14 days) in concrete or steel, aged 12–24 months in used oak or concrete, unfiltered and unfined. Sulfites are minimal (30–35 mg/L), added at bottling. Wines balance natural wine vibrancy with Roero typicity, with Arneis showing white fruit and minerality, and Nebbiolo offering bright, crunchy fruit.

• Grape Varieties and Cuvées:

  • Whites: Arneis (Roero Arneis Valle dei Lunghi, 2021, $20–30, 3.9/200, citrus, chamomile; Ro aldri, 2023, $15–25, 3.8/150, savory, mineral; Bianco, 2020, $20–30, 4.0/100, textured, honeyed).

  • Reds: Nebbiolo (Sandro d’Pindeta, 2022, $20–28, 3.9/300, bright, herbaceous; Roero Rosso Le Coste, 2021, $25–35, 4.0/250, cherry, earthy; Anime, 2019, $30–40, 4.1/80, complex, tannic).

• Terroir: Sandy-limestone soils and steep slopes impart elegance and crunch to Nebbiolo, with Arneis gaining minerality and sapidity. Roero’s microclimate (dry summers, marine influence) contrasts Langhe’s denser clays, akin to Burgundy’s finesse but distinctly Piedmontese.

Background

• Founder: Alberto Oggero, born 1985 in Canale, grew up with his grandfather Sandro in Santo Stefano Roero’s vineyards. After his grandfather’s death in 1999, Alberto studied viticulture in Alba, frustrated by Roero’s overshadowing by Barolo and Barbaresco. In 2009, at 24, he revived 2 hectares of family vineyards, restoring the house and cellar by hand. By 2011, he bottled his first Nebbiolo, expanding to 4.2 hectares, including the historic Anime parcel (80–100-year-old vines).

• Vision: To elevate Roero’s identity through territorial Arneis and approachable Nebbiolo, challenging conventions (e.g., aging Arneis, making Nebbiolo drinkable early). The SoloRoero collective promotes Roero’s sandy soils and native grapes, distinct from Langhe.

• Scale: ~4.2 hectares produce ~16,000 bottles across 5–6 cuvées. High demand, with 50–60% exported (e.g., MCF Rare Wine, US; Different Drop, Australia), limits availability.

• Challenges: Steep slopes demand manual labor, and organic practices risk frost (e.g., 2021). Alberto’s focus on Arneis’s aging potential and Nebbiolo’s accessibility divides traditionalists but gains natural wine acclaim.