Why it matters
The producer
Agricola Brandini sits on the upper edge of La Morra, a Barolo commune in the Langhe hills of southern Piemonte, at around 570 metres. That altitude is not incidental: most La Morra vineyards are planted lower, where the calcareous marl holds warmth through the long Nebbiolo ripening season. Brandini's position, on calcareous sandstone at the commune's upper limit, was considered by many local growers to be too exposed, too cool, and too risky for serious Nebbiolo production.
Piero Bagnasco bought the estate in 2007 and planted it anyway. He had run Fontanafredda, the largest Barolo producer in the zone, and had co-founded Eataly with Oscar Farinetti in 2006. He stepped away from both to build something smaller on a site that the market had largely passed over. His daughters Serena and Giovanna took directional control in 2018 and have carried the estate forward with certified organic farming. For the family, organic certification is a philosophy applied across the whole property, not a production method layered onto conventional agriculture.
Place and vineyards
Where the wines begin
La Morra is the westernmost of the main Barolo communes, sitting on softer calcareous sandstone and marl rather than the harder Helvetian limestone that runs through Serralunga d'Alba and parts of Monforte. The soil difference has a direct consequence in the glass: calcareous sandstone releases more aromatic lift and delivers softer, more refined tannins than the iron-rich clay and compacted limestone further east. La Morra Barolo is generally more open in its first years, with fruit and floral character leading before the wine closes in on itself.
Alta Langa, where the estate also holds parcels for its sparkling wine, is a separate DOCG above and beyond the Barolo zone, in the high Langhe hills south of Alba. At those altitudes, cool nights and slow ripening make the base wines for traditional method sparkling wines naturally fresh.
In the cellar
Vineyards and cellar
The 25 estate hectares are spread across La Morra as the primary block, with additional parcels in Serralunga d'Alba, Monforte, Alta Langa, and the Roero. Organic farming across all parcels means no synthetic herbicides, pesticides, or fertilisers. Biodynamic preparations go onto the vines and soil at specific points in the growing season. Cover crops between the rows build organic matter and limit erosion on the steep Langhe slopes.
In the cellar, the two Barolo cuvées diverge at harvest. Barolo La Morra uses fully destemmed Nebbiolo, fermented naturally for two to five weeks with daily pump-overs at controlled temperatures, then aged for 20 to 24 months in old 60-hectoliter Slavonian oak casks. The large vessel and old wood give minimal oak flavour; the wine matures on its own fruit and acidity.
Wines to know
The range in view
The range moves from approachable Dolcetto and Langhe Nebbiolo through to two contrasting Barolo expressions and a traditional method sparkling.
Dolcetto d'Alba Filari Lunghi is fermented entirely in stainless steel, with temperature control preserving fresh aromatics without extracting bitterness from the skins. It is the most immediate wine in the range: low tannin grip, fresh acidity, and fruit that stays lively without extended ageing.
A useful way in
A bottle to begin with
Start with Barolo La Morra. It is 100 percent Nebbiolo from the estate's primary La Morra parcels on calcareous sandstone, aged 20 to 24 months in old Slavonian oak, with no new wood character in the finished wine. Orange peel, soft red fruit, and citrus come first; refined tannins and a clean acid finish follow. It is the most direct statement of what this site and this farming approach produce from Nebbiolo: aromatic, floral, and structured without austerity. If La Morra Barolo interests you, this is where to begin.