Five years ago I got the chance to try these wines from Nervi and enjoyed them, Gattinara isn’t necessarily a mainstream wine area but it is a very interesting one – especially for a Nebbiolo fiend like me – that I would like to visit. Here is the post from back in 2012.
So on to the tasting:
Bianca 2015 – 100% Erbaluce, vinification in stainless steel vats at controlled temperature. Short élevage on the yeast. This is good, nicely simple, crisp with a little salty tang.
Rosato 2015 – 80% Nebbiolo, 20% Uva Rara, short contact on the skins between 6 and 8 hours followed by bleeding. 4 months on the lees and 1 month bottle ageing. Some good substance to it, some spice and a good redcurrant edge to it.
Spanna 2015 – 90% Nebbiolo, 10% Vespolina and Uva Rara. From the vineyards: Valferana, Garavoglie, Casacce (290-350m above sea-level). 18 months in large Slavonian oak casks; further ageing in cement vats. Pale colour, redcurrant and berry fruit, nicely vibrant, the nose is fleshier than the plate which has a little more structure and should mellow over the next few months.
Gattinara 2013 – 100% Nebbiolo, 3 years in large oak barrels; further ageing in traditional cement vats; 1 year bottle ageing. From Molsino, Valferana, Garavoglie, Casacce at 290-420m. Spice and iron, heather and earth too. Good, proper Nebbiolo structure and a little dryness (in a moreish sense).
Gattinara 2012 – 100% Nebbiolo, 3 years in large oak barrels; further ageing in traditional cement vats; 1 year bottle ageing. From Molsino, Valferana, Garavoglie, Casacce at 290-420m. In comparison to the 2013 there is more complexity, more nuance, a nicely degraded sweetness, good length too…impressive.
Valferana 2011 – 100% Nebbiolo, minimum 4 years in wood of capacities varying from 10 to 30 hl; brief passage in cement; 6-12 final months of bottle ageing. The “Valley of Iron” gives the name here. This has a lifted nose and is also quite focused, some degraded character but lovely length and balance.
Molsino 2011 – 100% Nebbiolo, minimum 4 years in wood of capacities varying from 10 to 20 hl; short period in cement; one final year of bottle ageing. The vineyard name means “supple” there is a menthol coolness here and whether the name has helped in suggesting it or not it is easier and more approachable.
Molsino 2009 – 100% Nebbiolo, minimum 4 years in wood of capacities varying from 10 to 20 hl; short period in cement; one final year of bottle ageing. Again some menthol here and a slightly shorter finish than the 2011, it was a more “challenging” vintage! Nice wine for drinking from now.
Jefferson 1787 – 100% Nebbiolo. This was a new one on me, sparkling Nebbiolo with no dosage and 18months on the lees. Interesting for sure, apples to the fore, pink apple skins in particular.
The Jefferson was an interesting end to the tasting but the focus here is Nebbiolo and everything looks to be moving in a good direction. It strikes me that Gattinara, with Nervi as a leader, stands to rise up behind Barolo and Barbaresco a little as Beaujolais and the Macconais have behind the Cote d’Or…stay tuned…
194KPR 