Dave Fletcher's nebbiolo epiphany came in 2004. The young Adelaide winemaker was sitting in a masterclass at an Italian wine festival in Melbourne tasting Barolo, the most famous example of the nebbiolo grape, along with the wines of neighbouring Barbaresco, from the hills of Piemonte.

"The wines we tasted came from various areas around Barolo," says Fletcher. "And they blew my mind. They were all so distinct. Until that point, I'd been making pinot noir, thinking that was the best grape to express the unique terroir of a vineyard. In nebbiolo I found a serious contender for that crown."