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About San Barnaba

When we first visited Barolo to taste the wines of Azienda Agricola San Barnaba with head winemaker Francesco Rocca, we were eager to understand what makes this project so highly anticipated without any social media or a website. With such a low profile, San Barnaba has wine enthusiasts wondering, “Who are they?” and “What are they doing that makes them so special?” Created by brothers Roberto and Giovanni Pasquero, two real estate professionals whose work centered in the same region where they eventually established their winery, they decided to purchase a few plots and enlisted their good friend Francesco Rocca–son of local legend Bruno Rocca–to join them in the project and lead the winemaking efforts.

Upon our arrival at the winery, we were greeted by a beautiful house overlooking the stunning vineyards of Serralunga, where the trio is renovating the house and building a new cellar. Once finished, this will serve as the nucleus of the project which is spread out across vineyards throughout the region. This includes plots in the prestigious vineyards of Barolo – Serra and Monvigliero. These vineyards are renowned for their unique and ancient soils, dating back more than 10 million years. To preserve the identity and complexity of their distinct terroirs, Francesco vinifies with a “Pied de Cuve” individually at perfect phenolic maturity. A small amount of SO2 is added prior to fermentation, from which point, grapes are treated according to a series of alternating pump-overs and punch-downs over the course of the first ten days. Vinification is carried out using a minimally invasive approach to winemaking without filtering or temperature control, and characterized by a reduced use of sulfites. As soon as the tannins begin to soften, it’s time to separate the skins from the juice  (after about 30/40 days) in order to preserve the fruit, according to Francesco. 

During our visit, as we tasted the wines and enjoyed a long lunch with Francesco and the brothers, it was easy to see what makes the trio so beloved. On our way out following the leisurely visit, we left in a rush and headed in the wrong direction, soon realizing our mistake. As we turned back around and passed the vineyard again, Roberto waved us down and we  rolled down the window. He shouted, “Hey Tom, let’s do this! – a memory that remains one of our favorite in our import journey to date.