I consider myself lucky to be making wines in the Langhe and even luckier that I have no legacy to follow. It’s led to a freedom to play and deconstruct tradition, all in an attempt to start afresh without any boundaries. I’m on a constant search for great vineyards, and always trying to make wines that give a sense of passion and place. Not all of them are single vineyards, because I think great things can come from careful crafting. Not all the wines will be produced each year either, as nature dictates most of what I do. I use everything I’ve learnt from my experiences of making wine and working in the vineyards around the world, pulling out the methodology that I believe in and then injecting a few twists and turns. For those that need to know….. I use 100% spontaneous fermentation but with a ‘pied de cuve’ method. I use old wood with a minimum age of 10 years and in the form of Barriques not Botte…Why? Because I prefer to work in small batches rather than bulking wines up early and each barrique has its own personality which adds to the complexity of the wines. I never, ever, filter the wines or use fining agents! In the Vineyards 50% of the vineyards I work with are certified organic and the other half is under conversion or run in a regenerative way. I believe 100% in these techniques for my own grape production and strive for better health and lower impact for the vines and their surroundings. Not wanting to contribute to an ever increasing mono-culture in the Langhe, I offset the land used for my grape production with ownership of the equivalent area in Forest, swamp and grasslands rich in biodiversity. – Fletcher Wines
