Morra Gabriele

Introducing Stefano Campaniello of cantina Morra Gabriele, a talented bright-eyed Romano who grew up near Milano, moving to London to continue his work as a Sommelier before heading off to Burgundy to work for a year in the vyds of Boillot, Volnay, & then on to Muga, Rioja, returning to Italia with a plan to set up on his own, in proprio.

In 2012 Stefano met Gabriele Testa, a keen (bianco!) trifulau & grandson of Morra Gabriele, & together they revived the nonno’s cantina in the comune di Macellai di Pocapaglia, with Barbera & Freisa vyds nearby.

In 2015 Stefano began renting their first Nebbiolo da Barbaresco vyd: a prime 0.3ha old vine Ovello (west facing), & then the cooler East facing part of Ovello (1ha of old vine vigna Bernino) adjacent to Montefico. From 2021 vyd they added 1ha of Fausoni above Neive (near San Cristoforo). And then in 2022: Starderi also in Neive. A total then of 1.9ha of Nebbiolo da Barbaresco vyds planted to Michet, Lampia, & clone 401.

The soils vary from clay-rich marne in Ovello, to blue marne in Bernino, limestone sandy marne soils of Fausoni, & to warmer sand in Starderi…lending Ovello presence/weight, Bernino spine/sapidità, Fausoni rose aromatics, & Starderi fruit!

Stefano tends the vines & makes the Barbaresco, blending destalked Nebbiolo fruit from the four vyds (Ovello, Bernino, Fausoni, & Starderi), the proportions varying according to the vintage (2021: 60% Bernino, Fausoni 25%, 15% Ovello) in stainless-steel, using pied de cuve/spontaneous yeast ferments, with circa 25 day pumping over (less in 2023), & cappello sommerso/submerged cap in exceptional years (in 2021), before ageing the wines for up to 14 months in ten year old, non-toasted 30HL Stockinger botte grande. 

Meanwhile, at their Macellai di Pocapaglia cantina, that’s equipped with a battery of cement tanks & tonneaux, Stefano makes two Langhe Nebbiolos from their Barbaresco vyds: one a classic expression of Nebbiolo fruit, the other, more layered – Foravia (off pista!) – with 60% whole bunch vinified in cement. Plus he makes a juicy Langhe Rosso (Nebbiolo/0.3ha Freisa), a marnoso Chardonnay from 0.3ha vyd Fausoni, & 1ha of Barbera from Macellai.