Fletcher Barbaresco Ronchi 2023
We have 6 in stock (Inventory is live and accurate)
Summer Shipping Advisory: Orders may be temporarily held during periods of extreme heat to ensure wine arrives in optimal condition.
View current shipping weather map →
The Land
Ronchi is one of the least famous crus in Barbaresco, which is strange given the company it keeps: it runs between Montestefano to the north and Rabajà to the south, two of the most celebrated vineyards in the appellation. Fletcher's parcel faces east at about 210 meters, low for the zone, on calcareous sand and limestone marl with a high clay content. The east-facing slope takes the gentler morning sun and misses the hardest afternoon heat, which matters more every year as Langhe summers warm. The clay gives the wine its body and structure, while the limestone and sand keep the fruit lifted and the tannin fine. The vines were planted around 2000.
The Wine
The Fletcher Barbaresco Ronchi 2023 is 100% Nebbiolo, hand-harvested and fully destemmed. Fermentation starts naturally and runs anywhere from 14 to 60 days on the skins, with one gentle movement per day by hand, or a pump-over if the must turns reductive. Light extraction over a long maceration pulls out perfume and fine tannin without harshness. The wine then ages two years in small oak barrels that are 10 to 15 years old, so the wood adds texture and air rather than flavor, and it is bottled without fining or filtration. Sulfur goes in only after malolactic fermentation. 2023 opened with persistent rain in May and June that pushed disease pressure, followed by a long August heat wave, but spring rain had banked enough soil moisture to carry the vines, and harvest began seven to ten days early. The result is a medium-bodied, rustic Barbaresco with ripe, refined tannin.
The People
Dave Fletcher grew up in Adelaide, South Australia, and left engineering for a four-year winemaking degree at Adelaide University, then worked vintages in Burgundy's Côte Chalonnaise and made Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in the Yarra Valley. A meeting with Italian wine importers put Nebbiolo in front of him. He came to Ceretto for the 2007 harvest, returned in 2009 to start buying fruit for his own Fletcher Wines label, and eventually ran red winemaking at Ceretto. In 2012 he and his wife Eleanor moved to the Langhe for good, and they bought Barbaresco's abandoned 1917 railway station, at the foot of Asili and Martinenga, converting it into La Stazione, their cellar and home. The vineyards he farms directly are certified organic or in conversion, with no herbicides and some biodynamic practice.
Food Pairing
A Barbaresco this savory wants rich, slow food. Braise beef cheeks in Nebbiolo with carrots and celery until they fall apart, and serve over soft polenta. Agnolotti del plin filled with roast meat and tossed in brown butter and sage let the tannin cut the richness. A mushroom risotto finished with parmesan, or shaved truffle if the budget allows, meets the wine's earthy side. Roast duck breast with a cherry reduction pulls the red fruit forward. This is the bottle for the dinner party where you want a real Barbaresco on the table without the price of a famous name.
We ship wine to most states with a $100 minimum order for shipping. We don't ship spirits nor beer.
Weather shipping advisory: Orders placed during times of extreme heat or extreme cold will be held for no charge until more favorable weather returns.
Piedmont, framed by the Alps in northwestern Italy, is a land of rolling hills and carefully cultivated vineyards. The continental climate, with its cold winters and warm summers, creates prime conditions for the Nebbiolo grape, which dominates much of the region's red wine production. The Langhe area is home to Barolo and Barbaresco, structured red wines known for their complex aromas, firm tannins, and aging potential. While Nebbiolo is the dominant grape of Piedmont, the region also makes interesting white wines like those from Arneis and Timorasso. Alto Piemonte is a separate region in the north with its own distinctive expressions of Nebbiolo, alongside other red grape varietals.
Italy - Piedmont
Nebbiolo, a prestigious grape from Italy's Piedmont region, is celebrated for its profound truffle and rose aromas, complex flavors, and ability to age gracefully thanks to strong acidity and tannins, producing the renowned Barolo and Barbaresco wines.
Nebbiolo
Practicing Organic vineyard farming involves growing grapes using organic methods—avoiding synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides—but without formal certification. Wineries adopting this approach prioritize environmental health, soil vitality, and biodiversity, using natural practices such as composting, cover cropping, and manual pest control. Many small wineries opt for practicing organic methods rather than pursuing official organic certification, primarily due to the significant cost, paperwork, and time commitment involved in certification processes. As a result, practicing organic is a popular choice among boutique and artisanal producers who remain committed to sustainable agriculture while managing budgetary constraints.
