We met a young Renato in early 2003. He was then only making Dolcetto d’Alba, the locals’ everyday red, and was borrowing a friend’s cellar in which to make the wine. Bit by bit, his holdings have grown, as he has inherited land from both his and his wife Milva’s parents, all within the commune of Barbaresco. It’s been an absolute privilege to be a (small) part of the process.

The work ethic of Renato and Milva is second to none. For the two of them are out in their vines almost every day. For example, replies to the e-mails that we send are often sent to us after midnight, the only time that Milva ever has to respond (there are two young daughters to take care of as well). Renato is always keen to point out that he is continuously learning – one will often taste one of his wines from three vintages, explaining how with each one, he changed something in the vineyard or during vinification, in order to improve the end result.