David Fletcher’s 2020 Barbaresco Recta Pete comes from the Starderi and Roncaglie crus, two of the finest in Barbaresco, and can be seen as a take on the tradition of blending vineyards that the region was once famous for, 'built' to express the best of the region and enhancing the complexity of the final wine. It's made traditionally, via natural fermentation followed by a long sleep (24 months) in 10 year old barrels, bottling with no filtration or fining and very little sulfur, and three months in bottle before release. Reticent at first, an hour open and aromas of dried citrus, chestnuts, leather and sweet pipe tobacco begin to emerge. The palate is firm but ultimately inviting, retaining its precision and presence while displaying classic Italian nuances of black cherry, iron, orange peel, and roasted chestnut and a lovely amaro finish. Elegant but expressive, it balances classicism and seduction. This is a Barbaresco you can drink now or cellar for over a decade – if you're patient. It has depth and concentration without losing any of the heightened aromatics that makes the wines of this region so beloved. 'Recta Pete' means 'shoot straight' in winemaker David Fletcher’s ancestral Scottish dialect; this is an honest and beautifully forthright interpretation of Nebbiolo if there ever was one!

So what’s a guy from Adelaide doing making Barbaresco? Granted, the name Fletcher doesn’t exactly evoke thoughts of classically styled Barbaresco, nor does it bring to mind anything even remotely Italian. However, if tasted without the label in view, there’s not a chance anyone would guess it was the handiwork of a young Aussie. Having emerged from the University of Adelaide, David Fletcher made for Burgundy, cutting his teeth in the Côte Chalonnaise, before returning to Victoria’s Yarra Valley to further focus his craft in the production of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. It was during this period that an Italian beauty walked into his life: Nebbiolo. Injected with curiosity and spurred on by that seemingly hereditary Australian streak of wanderlust, Fletcher found himself working harvest in 2007 at Ceretto, one of Barbaresco’s most recognized producers. After a few years of contemplation and time in the region, he was “convinced that this was his place,” and today he, his wife, and their two girls reside in what is likely the coolest cantina in the region: the old Barbaresco train station. In a very short time, by Italian standards, Fletcher has managed to forge some pretty strong relationships that give him access to top-tier fruit. More importantly, Fletcher clearly understands the potential of Piedmont, something not all of the locals do, and he has the ambition, commitment and sheer drive to go after his dreams. His own label has been a slow labor of love to get off the ground but now it's in full swing. If you're a true enthusiast of Nebbiolo, you need to get to know Dave's wines; it's going to be difficult to find a better value example of Barbaresco than this offering from a straight-shooting Aussie.