2010 Antonio Vallana & Figlio Nebbiolo Gattinara DOCG

Gattinara is a 100% Nebbiolo wine produced only in the town of Gattinara, on the western side of the River Sesia. The wine is austere and elegant, with a large and complex aroma, gentle and deep on the palate. Gattinara is a Nebbiolo with a vocation for long and very long aging.

As the Vallana family explains, Spanna, the local name for Nebbiolo, is a grape of terroir. While the Langhe showcases a beautiful expression, especially in the Barolo and Barbaresco regions, no list is complete without the wines of Alto Piemonte. Here, at the base of the Alps, at the foot of Monte Rosa, where the Mediterranean and Continental climates meet, Alto Piemonte takes on a charming and highly aromatic character. Alto Piemonte has acidic soils, rather than the alkaline soils of the Langhe, giving the wine its acid backbone and ultimately the structure and character that adds to the age ability. These vineyard sites are on gently sloping terraces along the left bank of the river Sesia and Lake Maggiore. Vallana owns vineyard sites within Colline Novaresi including the 2 important crus of Boca and Gattinara.

Gattinara may be the most esteemed appellation in the Alto Piemonte, and today’s Vallana version has become the estate’s flagship wine. Francis’ time-honored practices provide the ideal framework for its rich opulence. One hundred percent Spanna, it is a fabulously pure rendering of this iconic terroir.