Andrea-Oberto

Andrea Oberto

Italy, Piedmont

A small family run winery and vineyard based in La Morra, The Obertos have sixteen hectares of vineyards and produce a brilliant 'village' Barolo as well as 2 from the different 'crus' of Rocche dell'Annunziata and Albarella. The wines are beautifully focused and age well, although immensely approachable in their youth as there is a deliciously juicy and generous feel that runs through all the wines.

The Andrea Oberto winery’s origins are humble in fact everything began in 1959 when Andrea's father bought a farmhouse in La Morra. At that time the farmers could not survive with just one crop, therefore, he earned a living growing peaches, grapes and raising cows. However, in the family business there was enough work for everyone and so Andrea, when he became adult, decided to leave the farm and started working for a big company as truck driver. Andrea came back (Thankfully!) to La Morra in 1978 when his father died. He inherited the family’s land and he began managing the farm. He soon began to focus solely on vine growing. At the beginning the grapes were sold to cooperatives with some sold locally to friends and family. Devoting all of his time and energies to the family farm Andrea's talents soon became clear, and the small farm quickly morphed into a wine company with sixteen hectares of their own wines and brilliant cellar.

Andrea Oberto, a small family company with vineyards in the Crus of Brunate and Rocche as well as Albarella, is a Barolo name to keep tabs on if you don't know it already. Joanna Simon, www.joannasimon.com


This is a strong set of 2006 Barolos from father and son team Andrea and Fabio Oberto. I had a chance to taste the 2006s next to the estate’s 2005s, and it is pretty clear the 2006s possess an extra dimension of generosity over their older brethren that, among other things, results in better integration of the oak. The 2006 Barolos were vinified in steel for roughly 10-12 days, with the exception of the Brunate, which was vinified in oak. The malos took place in a heated cellar. The single-vineyard Barolos were subsequently aged in a combination of barrel and cask (30% cask, 35% new barrique, 35% once-used barrique). The estate’s 2007s, which I tasted from barrel are highly promising as well. Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, www.RobertParker.com


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