Lalù Barbera d'Alba 2024

Lalù - that’s Lara Rocchetti and Luisa Sala - are outsiders in Barolo, and perhaps that’s their secret. From their first release in 2019, the Lalù wines have transcended Barolo’s old ’modernist' and 'traditionalist' labels, and taken the best of both. Production is tiny, but Lalù is one of Piedmont’s most exciting young estates.

Lara and Luisa met at the University of Pollenzo, where they wrote a joint thesis on carbon-neutral wineries. They worked together at Burgundy’s Comtes Lafon and Cécile Tremblay, as well as Trediberri, another of Piedmont’s rising stars. In 2019 they started LaLù, renting an old cantina in Serralunga d'Alba. Gradually, they have acquired small parcels of Nebbiolo, Barbera and Dolcetto in top sites. They now have five hectares, all farmed organically, including Nebbiolo in Monforte d'Alba, one of Barolo's finest communes.

From this fruit, they make wines that manage to be open and inviting without sacrificing complexity. It’s a rare combination. Lalù’s wines are a must-try for all Barolo fans.