Introduction: Bricco Ernesto is the project of Renato Vezza and his partner Elisa Antonioni, operating from a tiny 2.4-hectare estate on one of the highest points in the Roero — the "bricco" (rounded hilltop) once farmed by Renato's grandfather Ernesto, who passed away in 1993. After years as a respected sommelier in London and brief stints in Canada and Australia, Renato returned to Piedmont in 2015 with an unconventional approach: no formal winemaking training, no DOC on the label, and an uncompromising insistence on working entirely by instinct and feel. The result is one of the most talked-about micro-productions in Piedmont — fewer than 4,000 bottles total per year between the Rosso and the Bianco — and a wine that regularly appears at serious comparative tastings alongside the greatest names in Roero, Barolo, and Barbaresco.

Terroir: The estate sits at 280 meters above sea level in Priocca, Roero — one of the highest points in the appellation — on a domed hilltop accessible only by a long dirt road. The soils are 70% sand, 20% silt and limestone, and 10% clay, a profile that gives the Nebbiolo here a distinctly lighter, more aromatic, and more fine-boned character than the clay-heavy soils of the Barolo and Barbaresco communes across the Tanaro River. East, south, and west-facing exposures allow sunlight from multiple angles across the growing season, while the sandy soils drain rapidly and force the vines into deep root development. The vineyard was one of the first certified organic sites in Roero, with organic practices in place since 1990 and biodynamic principles layered on top.

Appearance: Translucent ruby with the characteristic brick-tinged rim of Nebbiolo — light in the glass, as Roero's sandy soils reliably produce, with excellent clarity.

Nose: Dried rose petals, cherry, cranberry, and orange peel open the bouquet with a distinctly aromatic, fine-boned quality. Dried herbs, menthol, and a streak of asphalt and tar give the wine its Nebbiolo signature, while the sandy soils contribute a crystalline minerality and lifted precision that sets Roero apart from its heavier Langhe counterparts.

Palate: Medium-bodied with the variety's characteristic fine, dusty tannins and vivid acidity — refined rather than grippy, with dried red fruits, amaro, and almond paste threading through the mid-palate. The 2023 fermentation ran for 48 days in small cement tanks with nothing forced, nothing intervened — Renato's philosophy of patience and restraint yielding a wine of remarkable completeness and nervous energy. A dry, mineral finish of excellent length closes the wine with real authority.

Finish: Long and precise, with dried cherry, baking spice, and a characteristic Nebbiolo bitterness fading into a clean, stony mineral close. The 2023 has more than enough structure to develop for years.

Food Pairings:
🥩 Meat: Braised rabbit with herbs and polenta, roasted duck with cherry reduction, or a classic Piedmontese bollito misto
🥦 Vegetarian: Truffle and porcini risotto, roasted root vegetables with aged balsamic, or tajarin with butter and white truffle
🧀 Charcuterie Board: Aged Castelmagno, Toma Piemontese, hazelnuts, honey, and thinly sliced lardo di Colonnata

Overall Impression: The 2023 Bricco Ernesto Vino Rosso is a deeply personal wine from one of Piedmont's most compelling micro-producers — a Nebbiolo that wears its Roero sandy-soil origins with pride, delivering elegance, precision, and emotional resonance in a package that deliberately sidesteps appellation convention. With a 48-day fermentation behind it and minimal intervention throughout, it rewards patience in the bottle. Serve at 60–64°F with a minimum 30 minutes of decanting; drink from 2025 through 2033 and beyond.

Alcohol by Volume (ABV %): 14%
Farming Practices: Certified organic since 1990; biodynamic practices; no chemical herbicides or synthetic treatments; deliberately low yields; hand de-stemmed Nebbiolo; 1.5 total hectares with vines ranging from 10 to 100+ years of age (average 30–35 years)
Producer Name: Bricco Ernesto (Renato Vezza & Elisa Antonioni)
Old World / New World: Old World
Country of Origin: Italy
Region: Roero, Piedmont (labeled as Vino da Tavola / Vino Rosso — Renato intentionally bottles outside the DOC designation)
Grape Varietals: Nebbiolo 100%
Vintage: 2023
Wine Style: Dry Red — Light- to medium-bodied and mineral-driven, with a refined, aromatic Nebbiolo profile shaped by sandy Roero soils and high-elevation terroir. More Burgundian in precision and delicacy than Barolo or Barbaresco — crystalline, energetic, and built for aging. 
Winemaking Techniques: Hand de-stemmed, not crushed; ambient yeast fermentation in small cement tanks; extended maceration up to 48 days (2023 vintage); pump-overs before submerging the cap; aged in a combination of 6hL French, Austrian, and American oak vats and one Tava amphora; racked once after fermentation; additional bottle aging before release; no filtration
Pack Size: 750ml
Container Style: Glass bottle
Closure Style: Cork