Fabio Gea is one of Piedmont's true mavericks, a trained geologist who left the corporate world to coax avant-garde wines from a tiny patch of family vines.
Backstory
After earning his doctorate and working for years as a geologist, Gea returned to the hills near Barbaresco to take up the winemaking tradition of his grandfather, Notu, who originally selected the family's plots.
The Region
His vines sit in the hills around Barbaresco in Piedmont, northwest Italy, the heartland of Nebbiolo, on just under two hectares of small, scattered parcels.
Vineyards and Farming
Gea farms organically and biodynamically, interplanting vines with other plants and fruit trees to build biodiversity. He intervenes as little as possible, using only very low doses of sulfur and copper. He maintains a massal selection of nearly fifteen Nebbiolo types.
Winemaking
His signature is a set of porcelain eggs he conceived and designed himself for fermentation and aging. Wines ferment spontaneously with no added sulfur, ranging from traditional styles to decidedly experimental ones.
The Wines
Beyond Nebbiolo, he grows Barbera, Dolcetto, and Grignolino, releasing them as single cuvees or blends. Total output is around 5,000 bottles a year across a wide and playful range.
