Gian Luca Colombo (b. 1983) founded the winery in 2011, and his cantina is located in Roddi, one of the 11 municipalities in the Barolo DOCG production zone. We do not hesitate to call him avant-garde in the best sense of the word: his approach not only expresses a pervasive production philosophy but also marks a breakthrough compared to before. He is crucial in challenging Langa’s wines notions by showing how they can also be. Gian Luca is at the forefront of developments in the field. Both curiosity and scientific insight drive him. Still, he also has a strong awareness of tradition, and he perceives it as a strength that family-specific ways of doing things do not limit him, giving him the freedom to make his own decisions and bring them to life. We understand his project to renew or update the already updated traditionalism and will develop this more closely in the following.
Gian Luca has a master’s degree in Viticulture and Oenology from the University of Turin (from 2010). He has many years of practical experience as an oenologist, consultant, winemaker, and other producer. In 2014, he received the so-called Giulio Gambelli Award and was named Italy’s best young oenologist under 35 years. His approach in the field and in the cellar is illuminated by modern scientific insights but is also shaped by Langa’s history and in the fieldwork organically and often experimentally and with a focus on the health of the vines to achieve the best imaginable grape material expressing the special spirit of the place. This focus on plant health leads him to experiment with alternative forms of cultivation in the field to avoid using pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides.
In the cellar, he works with long maceration times at very low temperatures, and he prefers Botti di rovers for storing his wines and is strongly reserved towards new, toasted barriques. The wines are technically eminent but at the same time soulful, they are supple and elegant and exude juicy fruit, and are characterized by an exquisite balance and great drinkability. Precisely the demand for bevibilità is a crucial feature of his taste aesthetics.
He has been the first in Langa to seriously crack the code for Pinot Nero, which is particularly enigmatic here and it is among Italy’s finest. Barbera d’Alba and Nebbiolo d’Alba are of unique quality. In 2016, he has produced the first Barolo under his name, a Barolo from Roddi’s only MGA: Bricco Ambrogio and it is expected that will be added more in the future. Gian Luca Colombo is a man of the future, and we are sure that he will soon have his place among Langa’s already established names.