Antonio Vallana e Figlio Gattinara DOCG Piedmont, Italy 2014

Producer: Antonio Vallana e Figlio

Grape: Nebbiolo

Where: Gattinara, Alto Piemonte, Piemonte

Country: Italy

Critic tasting note: "This fragrant Nebbiolo opens with intense, ample aromas of kitchen spice, chopped herb, leather, dark-skinned berry, tilled soil and a whiff of pressed rose petal. On the firmly structured smooth palate, notes of licorice, cinnamon and truffle accent a core of juicy dark cherry. Polished tannins provide the framework while a mineral vein energizes the finish." -Wine Enthusiast

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Additional Info:

Alto Piemonte is in the top North West corner of Italy, 100km north of Barolo, heading towards the border with Switzerland. This region is a lesser known haven for Italy’s classic Nebbiolo grape. The vineyards are generally at an altitude ranging from 300 to 450m above sea level. The region benefits from a cool, broad range of diurnal temperatures. This climate combined with the distinctively acidic soils in the area, combine to give the wines higher acidity, minerality and their great capacity for ageing. Vallana’s own vineyard holdings are in Boca and Gattinara, which they have always traditionally combined with working contractually with many small producers in the region. They work around 10 ha in total.

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The fifth and current generation at Antonio Vallana e Figlio is represented by Marina and Francis Fogarty, sister and brother, who have fully taken charge of the winemaking and running of the family estate over the last 10 years. They are keen to retain the traditions of the region whilst also combining modernity and progress into their wine making.

King of Alto Piemonte! Characterized by its structure and power, this wine is the ultimate expression of the Alto Piemontese personality. Gattinara was officially recognized as a DOCG in 1967, but recent archeological findings trace the vineyards back to Roman times. Its names appears in documents from Charlemagne, as well as Spain’s King Charles V. Strict DOCG guidelines dictate this wines development from vine to bottle.

Vallana’s high altitude Nebbiolo vines are original clones that predate the appellation itself. After being hand harvested and vetted in the winery, the crushed fruit undergoes a 24 hour cold soak before being transferred to cement tanks. As with their other cru wines, each vessel is treated as a separate entity before the final blending process. The blend is transferred to large cask (5 to 12 HL) where it ages for two years.