WINEMAKER
Drink wines not lables, Piemont
Established in 2021 in Castellinaldo d'Alba, Piemont
There’s something electric happening in the hills just beyond Barolo — and at the center of it is Alessandro Salvano, the mind behind DWNL – Drink Wines Not Labels.
Raised in a family of growers, Alessandro could have easily followed the traditional path. But instead, he chose rebellion over routine. In 2019, he launched DWNL as a declaration of independence — a movement for those who believe that authenticity matters more than appellations.
His vineyards sit just outside the official Barolo zone, on the same limestone-rich slopes and under the same sun — yet his wines will never carry that name. And that’s exactly the point. With DWNL, Alessandro challenges the system, asking: What defines greatness — the land itself, or the lines drawn around it?
His flagship wine, Outside, answers that question with quiet confidence. It’s Nebbiolo stripped of pretense — fermented with wild yeasts, aged patiently in neutral wood, bottled unfiltered. The result is raw energy in liquid form: bright fruit, fine tension, a whisper of spice, and a finish that feels infinite. It’s Barolo’s wild younger brother — freer, louder, more alive.
Beyond Nebbiolo, Alessandro experiments with Dolcetto, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir, crafting wines that pulse with character and texture. Every bottle feels personal — intuitive rather than engineered, emotional rather than polished.
Alessandro belongs to a new generation of Italian winemakers who are rethinking what tradition means — keeping the roots, but shaking off the rules. His message is simple but powerful: drink what moves you, not what the label tells you to.
And honestly — I couldn’t be happier to be working with him. In 2025, we featured Alessandro not once, but three times in our drops: with Outside, his Langhe Nebbiolo, and his Pinot Noir — a true reflection of what DWNL stands for and why his wines resonate so deeply with us.
