Mauro Sebaste

Mauro Sebaste’s parents came from Gallo & Narzole; his father Adermo was related to famous dolceria of the same name. But it was his mother Sylla (Dogliani), inheriting the know-how from her father Natale (“Bagagiot”), who focused on their vineyards, bucking tradition during the 1960s to make wines in the centre of the village of Barolo; indeed she was credited for her belief in the out-of-fashion Freisa grape, which her son Mauro continues to vinify to this day. In 1978 Mauro graduated from Alba’s Wine School, Umberto 1 & made his first Barolo.

But in a cruel twist of fate the family lost all their vineyards shortly after Sylla’s passing in 1985. Unbowed, in 1990 Mauro & his wife Maria-Teresa (Gagliasso di Gallo) revived the family name & business, building a new cantina in 2000 on the outskirts of Gallo in the Langhe. And by this stage, they had had two children: Sylla (nata ’89) & Angelica (’96). Sylla now works alongside her father & mother in the cantina.

The family business owns 10ha of vines, including plots in the comunes of Alba (Santa Rosalia), Diano d’Alba, Mango, Vinchio (Nizza), &  Serralunga d’Alba (Cerretta). They also lease vines in the comunes of Vezza d’Alba, Piobesi, La Morra (Roncaglie) e Verduno (Breri). Since 2016, they rent a property in Diano d’Alba, so as to give them more storage space.Vinification of the Nebbiolo da Barolos is in stainless steel, with affinamento in both tonneaux & botte grande. Focus is given to the three Barolos: a blended Barolo classico (‘Trèsüri’), plus single vineyard expressions: Barolo Cerretta, & Barolo Riserva ‘Ghè’.

To celebrate Mauro’s 40th vintage, the cantina is re-releasing his original, 1978 Barolo label: a label that reflects traditional, Langhe winemaking values, blending vineyards from across comunes in order to arrive at a Barolo in which ‘the whole is greater than the sum of the parts’.