Though Cesare Bussolo’s star is rising, you may not yet have heard of him. Barolo collectors will, though, almost certainly have heard of his mentor and sometimes partner, Piemonte legend Roberto Voerzio, who Cesare has worked with since 2007. 

Cesare, born and raised in La Morra and a graduate of the Alba Wine School, bought his own land in 2009 and leases some of Voerzio’s as well. He farms similarly to his mentor, with high density plantings, extremely low yields, and organic practices. His wine is produced in Roberto’s cellar, with minimal intervention. 

If you’re looking for a truly remarkable and elusive wine, Cesare Bussolo’s Roscaleto is an experience unlike any other. This pure Barbera defies expectations, standing apart from anything produced in the Langa today. Blindfolded, you might guess it hails from another country altogether. 

The grapes are sourced from the Roscaleto vineyard, perched on the upper reaches of the Boiolo hill in La Morra—a site with a long history of cultivating Barbera. Its calcareous and silty soils lend the wine its structure and age-worthiness. Bussolo’s philosophy reaches its zenith here, with an obsessive commitment to quality. Produced only in the best vintages, this wine is limited to a mere 700 bottles. The vineyard’s high-density planting (8000 plants per hectare) yields just 500 grams per vine—equivalent to a single bunch—following meticulous thinning and selection.

Fermented spontaneously in steel tanks and aged for 12 months in small barrels, the wine is bottled unfiltered to preserve its integrity. The result is an essential expression of Barbera, complex and profound. Its resemblance to a fine Bordeaux is uncanny: red fruit and spice in perfect harmony, a velvety texture, vibrant acidity, and a body that finishes with remarkable persistence.