The Barbaresco Starderi DOCG 2021 in magnum format from Olek Bondonio comes from 40-year-old Nebbiolo vines in the northernmost commune of Neive. A silky, transparent Barbaresco from biodynamically farmed steep slopes – rare, elegant and already accessible.
Bottler: Azienda Agricola Olek Bondonio I Via Riccardo Terzolo 14, 12050 Barbaresco / Italy
In the glass
Colour
Transparent ruby red, heralding the wine’s fine, translucent style.
Nose
Dried flowers and herbs, black cherries, earth and forest floor, along with liquorice, fermented cardamom, black tea, dry undergrowth and dark tobacco – finely interwoven, elegant and persistent.
Palate
Juicy and silky with fine tannins, crystalline, bright acidity and dark as well as red berry fruit, partly dried. Balanced, concentrated and harmoniously structured.
Character
More classical than modern, transparent and of great finesse – a young Barbaresco that already offers pleasure today yet possesses the stature for long-term development.
Pairing
Braised veal shank with root vegetables, truffle risotto, aged Pecorino.
Notes
Two months of skin contact with submerged cap, maturation in large casks, bottled unfiltered and unfined. The magnum format lends the wine additional ageing potential and makes it the ideal companion for special occasions.
Tasting note
Colour & appearance
Transparent ruby red, pale and translucent – the classic Nebbiolo appearance, which reveals more about structure than any concentration ever could. In the glass, the wine seems vibrant, almost weightless.
Nose
Initially dried flowers and herbs, then black cherries, earth and forest floor. Behind these emerge liquorice, fermented cardamom, a hint of black tea and dry undergrowth, along with dark tobacco. Everything is finely interwoven, not loud but insistent – a bouquet that opens slowly and gains complexity with air.
Palate
Juicy and silky, with fine yet present tannins that support the wine without dominating it. The acidity is crystal clear and bright, while the fruit oscillates between dark and red, partly dried berries. The structure is taut, the concentration remarkable – a Barbaresco that already offers great pleasure, even though it is still very young. Classic in the best sense, not exaggeratedly modern.
Finish
Long and defined by a vibrant acidity that carries the wine far into the aftertaste. The tannins remain fine, the fruit dark and precise – a finish that speaks of the vineyard site rather than the maturation.
Terroir & origin
Starderi is located in the northernmost part of the commune of Neive, one of the absolute top crus of Barbaresco. The soils here are somewhat softer, clay-rich and less marly than elsewhere in the region – resulting in wines with greater juiciness and a slightly cooler, north-facing elegance. Olek Bondonio rents a small parcel of 40-year-old vines from an elderly couple who could no longer tend the steep slopes. His estate, Cascina La Berchialla, stands on the legendary Roncagliette cru, next door to Angelo Gaja – the bar is set high, and Bondonio reaches it.
Grape variety & vinification
100% Nebbiolo, fermented in concrete with two months of skin contact and a submerged cap. Afterwards gently pressed using a basket press and aged for at least two years in large casks. Bottled unfiltered and unfined, with a total sulphur level of only around 40 mg – a wine that has seen as little intervention as possible.
Food recommendations
The magnum bottle calls for a meal that does it justice: braised leg of lamb with rosemary, tagliatelle with white truffle or porcini risotto. Also an outstanding choice with mature Parmigiano Reggiano or braised oxtail.
Special features
This Barbaresco comes in a magnum bottle – the larger format ensures slower, more harmonious ageing, making it the ideal wine for special occasions or as a gift. Olek Bondonio works biodynamically and is organically certified, without turning it into a marketing spectacle. His wines are rare because seven hectares simply yield limited quantities – and this Starderi ranks among the most exciting Barbarescos of the new generation.
