Wine from Piemonte

Accornero Brigantino Malvasia di Casorzo is made from 100% Malvasia.

Malvasia is a pleasant, sweet wine, low in alcohol content, that can be enjoyed at any time of day. Made exclusively from grapes grown in the hilltop vineyards of Casorzo and neighboring villages, it’s the pride and prestige of the area. It has always been the star wine of all local festivals. A comfort wine for all seasons and reasons, it has an aroma evocative of roses. The rich, aromatic wine is ruby-red, vibrant and slightly frothy. lt can be paired with desserts, fruit salads and sweets, but it can also be enjoyed as an aperirif or as a drink for any party occasion.

Color: Vibrant Ruby red
Bouquet: Sweet and aromatic, floral
Taste: Aromatic with rose fragrances

Great companion to desserts, such as biscotti / cantucci (Italian almond biscuits from Piemonte)

Boroli Barolo is made from 100 percent Nebbiolo.

A fruity, round-textured red with plums, berries and hints of cedar. It’s full-bodied with juicy tannins and a flavorful finish.

Damilano Barolo Brunate is made from 100 percent Nebbiolo 100%

When the wine ages, it takes on notes of tobacco, rose, liquorish, and – in the best vintages – even truffle. Its finesse and elegance are due to alkalinity and calcium content in the soil.

This Barolo in youth presents scents of violet and small red fruit, balsamic tastes, and pleasant spice notes of clove, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

The original name of this vineyard was Brinate.

Reviews:

So beautifully perfumed with blueberries, raspberries, violets and flowers. Full-bodied, transparent and so clear with intense, chewy tannins and a seamless finish. Tight and powerful. Needs two or three years to soften.

James Suckling 95 Points

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 95

Wine Spectator 94 Points

Wine Enthusiast 94 Points

Elvio Cogno Cascina Nuova Barolo 2017

Born to satisfy the curiosity of consumers keen to have a more immediate understanding of Barolo, the wine is bright garnet red in color with orange tints. Pleasing and immediate, it offers scents of flowers and light, delicate spices. The mouth is agreeably rounded, juicy and fresh, with just the right balance between pleasantness and elegance. The aftertaste is very harmonious with a mineral, aromatic finish.

Review:

Attractive dried strawberry with cherry and tar on the nose. Full-bodied with powerful tannins that are dusty and intense. Very flavorful and long. Solid as a rock. Needs at least three or four years to soften and come together.

-James Suckling 95 Points

Fenocchio Barolo is 100 percent Nebbiolo. 

Claudio and Albino Fenocchio own 10 hectares of vineyards. This Barolo comes from a blend of Bussia in Monforte d'Alba and Castellero in Barolo. The soil in Bussia is helvetian ( limestone and clayey blue marl) which contributes much to the fullness and excellent aging potential of these wines. The Castellaro vineyard is of tortonian soil (blue marl and sandstone mixed with sand) which gives a velvety mouth feel and exceptional aromatics. The vines are an average of 30 years old.

Color: Ruby red with garnet reflections
Bouquet: Rich bouquet with hints of blueberries, roses and liquorice.
Taste: Densely structured with a full, complex flavor. It is an elegant wine with firm tannins and good acidity that will become velvety and graceful with age. This wine is generous and bold. The finish is long and lingering.

Long slow natural fermentation without the addition of yeasts for 30 days. Closed stainless steel vat fermentation with frequent pumping over maintains the temperature at a constant 29°C. This extracts greater aromatics while causing the heavier tannins to break down and to precipitate out.

Acidity: 5.2
Alcohol by Volume: 14.5 %

Game, grilled and roasted red meats and ripe and mature cheeses. Dishes with truffles.

Review:

"Sweet strawberry aromas with dried flowers and orange zest. Full-bodied with a round, chewy palate and lots of fruit. Some smoke, grilled meat and spice, such as nutmeg. A little tight at the end. Needs time to open. Try after 2023."

- James Suckling (June 2021), 93 pts

The light hay coloring is loaded with greenish reflections. The fragrance is soft and complex, especially inviting with aromas hinting broom, chamomile and fresh fruit. The flavor is pleasantly tangy, full and very persistent.

Area of production: Monteu Roero

Fenocchio Roero Arneis is made from 100% Arneis
Vineyards area: 1.2 hectares (2.98 acres)
Exposition: Southeast
Altimetry: Hilly zone at around 300/350 meters a.s.l
Soil: calcareous,clay, soil of medium texture
Age of the vineyards: 10/15 years
Grape yield per hectare: 70 quintals
Harvest: Mid September

Vinification: The grapes are gently pressed and then the wine-must obtained is refrigerated in stainless steel vats to allow the lees to settle. After 24-36 hours the juice is separated from the lees and fermented at a controlled temperature. Bottling is done in sterile conditions. Aged in stainless steel tanks and matured in the bottle.

Tasting notes: the light hay coloring is loaded with greenish reflections. The fragrance is soft and complex, especially inviting with aromas hinting broom, chamomile and fresh fruit. The flavor is pleasantly tangy, full and very persistent.

Food Pairing: Great as an aperitif. Pairs nicely with saucy dishes white meats and grilled fish .
Serving temperature: Recommended serving temperature is around 10 - 12 degrees Celcius (52-56 degrees Fahrenheit)
Alcohol: Approx. 13-13,5% Vol
Total acidity: Approx. 5.5 – 5.8 g/L

Ruchè Clasic is obtained from grapes coming from the best-exposed vineyards, which means the southwest side of the hills. Because a heavy pruning, these vineyards never produce more then seven tons per hectare. Fermentation is done in 54-hectoliter temperature-controlled French oak vats for 15 to 20 days, according to the quality of the grapes at the time of pressing. A controlled temperature of 23 degrees enables the fermentation time to be lengthened and to keep the must in contact with skins for longer. During this period, the skins give the must more structure, tannin and color. This is important, particularly for Ruchè, whose precise aromas are its main characteristic. Once fermentation is finished, the wine rests for six months in the same vats where malolactic fermentation also takes place, perfect containers because they allow the exchange of oxygen necessary for a quicker maturation of the wine and for developing more elegant scents without imparting too much oak flavor.

Color: Ruby red
Bouquet: The wood is perfect for providing a natural level of oxygenation, without much oak flavor, very intense aromas of flowers
Taste: Also at the palate, intense aromas of flowers, balanced, elegant, with tannins that work hard at being soft

Alcohol: 14 %
Residual Sugar: 1.17 g/l
Total Acidity: 4.74 g/l

Grape Varietal: Ruchè 100%
Production Area: Castagnole Monferrato, Asti District
Soil: Clay and tuff
Growing System: Long Cordon Spur
Yield: 6 tons/ha-260 meters above sea level
Alcoholic Fermentation: In temperature controlled stainless steel rotofermenters for 10-15 days
Malolactic fermentation: In 54 hectoliters oak foudre

Truffles, game, medium aged cheeses, red and white meats, pasta

Livia Fontana Roero Arneis is made from 100 percent Arneis. 

Straw-yellow color with green highlights. Delicate, fresh and floral bouquet, rich in peach and apple flavor. Well balanced with little acidity.The wine is produced in Priocca and Castagnito, about a 2-hectare vineyard located at 250-350 m a.s.l.Organoleptic characteristics: straw-yellow color with green highlights. Delicate, fresh and floral bouquet, rich in peach and apple flavor. Well balanced with acidity.

Classic accompaniment to fish and seafood as well as any kind of starter. Excellent also with first courses or as an aperitif.

G.D. Vajra Barolo Coste di Rose is made from 100 percent Nebbiolo. 

The 2017 Coste di Rose is a very seductive wine right out of the gate. Cherries and roses burst on the nose, with hints of amarena, red hard candy, wild berries, wet stone, mint and thyme. The palate is radiant and expressive, with all of the signature elements of Coste di Rose in nice evi-dence: the ethereal character, the saline, up-front tannic structure, and further whiffles of roses and cherries in the finish.

Review:

Wild berry, menthol and tilled earth aromas mingle with whiffs of dark spice. Linear and savory, the lithe palate is already immediate, featuring juicy raspberry, red cherry, crushed mint and star anise accompanied by taut, polished tannins. Tangy acidity keeps it fresh and bright.

-Wine Enthusiast 96 Points

Gagliasso Barolo Riserva Oak Box is made from 100% Nebbiolo

Complex and intense aromas of red fruits intermixed with licorice, prune, leather, smoke and notes of toasty oak and vanilla. Full-bodied on the palate with loads of ripe dried and candied fruits, pepper and mocha.

The wine comes in a 6 bottle wooden box.

After malolattic fermentation the wine stays for 10 months in French barrels, 10% new oak and 90% different years; after this period all barrels are blended ( 50% Torriglione and 50% Rocche dell’Annunziata) in old barrels for 48 months again. The wine is bottled and refined for 24 months.

There's a gritty, sandy quality to the tannins that would cut through roast pork stuffed with prunes.

Review:

Exciting the blend of Rocche and Torriglione which expresses so much power in this extraordinary vintage. Part in slight reduction and slowly reveals hints of black plums, tobacco leaf, tomato leaf, black tea leaves, melted caramel licorice, incense and lots of bergamot. Solid and powerful on the palate with perfectly ripe tannins. Magic in the glass in Barolo.

-WinesCritic.com 96 Points

Dark, radiant ruby ​​red. On the nose, nuances of black tea, dried blood oranges, rich cherries, a bit of wild berries, light quinine, with an aftertaste of cedarwood and mint. On the palate with elegant, close-meshed tannin, rich dark fruit and harmonious course, spans a beautiful fan to the long finish.

-Falstaff 94 Points

Gagliasso Dolcetto d'Alba Vigna Ciabot Russ  is made from 100 percent Dolcetto.

This Dolcetto offers ripe dark fruit, spice and earthy sensations, as well as hints of black pepper and anisette.

Average density of vines: 5500 vines per hectare Method of cultivation: classical Guyot method with medium-short pruning; the vineyard are three, two with west exposure and one south with medium slope. Green harvest in two different times with reduction of grapes with a production per hectare around 5500 kg . The grapes are harvested very ripe with a meticulous selection; the fermentation took place in stainless steel vats with temperature controlled. The fermentation is around 28-30°C with 5-6 days of maceration ; malolattic fermentation took place spontaneously in stainless steel vats. After malolattic fermentation the wine stay for 2 month in old big barrels; after this period the wine is bottled and refined for 4-6 month.

Refreshing acidity makes this very food friendly. It would work well with pasta topped with porcini mushrooms.

Gagliasso Rocche dell Annunziata Barolo is made from 100% Nebbiolo.

This is a gorgeous wine on many fronts. Firstly, its aromas of wild berry, smoke and cedar are focused and pristine. Secondly, the texture it imparts in the mouth is dense, firm but ultimately yielding and plush. Lastly, the wine's fresh flavors endure for many minutes.

Average density of vines: 5500 vines per hectare Method of cultivation: classical Guyot method with medium-short pruning; the vineyard are three, two with west exposure and one south with medium slope. Green harvest in two different times with reduction of grapes with a production per hectare around 5500 kg . Rocche dell’Annunziata grape are harvested very ripe with a meticulous selection; the fermentation took place in stainless steel vats with temperature controlled. The fermentation is around 33-34°C with 15-17 days of maceration ; malolattic fermentation took place spontaneously in stainless steel vats. After malolattic fermentation the wine stay for 12 month in French barrels, 50% new oak and 50% 2 years; after this period the barrels are blended in big barrels of 2500 liters for 18 month. The wine is bottled and refined for 10-12 month.

Gagliasso Rocche dell Annunziata Barolo is made from 100% Nebbiolo.

This is a gorgeous wine on many fronts. Firstly, its aromas of wild berry, smoke and cedar are focused and pristine. Secondly, the texture it imparts in the mouth is dense, firm but ultimately yielding and plush. Lastly, the wine's fresh flavors endure for many minutes.

Average density of vines: 5500 vines per hectare Method of cultivation: classical Guyot method with medium-short pruning; the vineyard are three, two with west exposure and one south with medium slope. Green harvest in two different times with reduction of grapes with a production per hectare around 5500 kg . Rocche dell’Annunziata grape are harvested very ripe with a meticulous selection; the fermentation took place in stainless steel vats with temperature controlled. The fermentation is around 33-34°C with 15-17 days of maceration ; malolattic fermentation took place spontaneously in stainless steel vats. After malolattic fermentation the wine stay for 12 month in French barrels, 50% new oak and 50% 2 years; after this period the barrels are blended in big barrels of 2500 liters for 18 month. The wine is bottled and refined for 10-12 month.

Review:

intense on the nose thanks to pressed red flowers, raspberries, cherries and orange. Medium body, velvety tannins and a warm and harmonious finish, slightly voluminous throughout the progression. Delicious now but better from 2021. - Wineritics.com 93 Points

Gaja Costa Russi Nebbiolo is made from 100 percent Nebbiolo.

Costa (Italian for the side of the hill facing the sun) Russi (the nickname of the former owner) is ruby red in color, with a captivating aroma of blackberries, violets and roasted coffee beans. The purity of the palate is layered with dark fruit flavors and complex tannins.

STYLE: Complex, Elegant

FLAVOR: Blackberry, Violet, Roasted Coffee Beans

Review:

The 2016 Barbaresco Costa Russi is a more floral, sappy Barbaresco, offering textbook notes of black cherries, rose petals, sappy herbs, and violets. It's one of the more vibrant, juicy, and perfumed wines in the lineup and has medium to full body, bright yet integrated acidity, and the same incredibly polished yet certainly present tannins found in all these 2016s. This is another elegant 2016 that never puts a foot wrong. 

-Jeb Dunnuck 98+ Points

The 2016 Barbaresco Costa Russi is ripe, creamy and enveloping, as it so often is, and yet also preserves the super classic sense of structure that runs through all these wines. In 2016, Costa Russi has an extra touch of mid-palate sweetness that gives the wine its sense of immediacy. Succulent red cherry, rosewater, kirsch, mint and dried flowers meld together in the glass. Soft and sensual, with tons of allure, Costa Russi is another winner from Gaja. Time in the glass brings out the wine's density and tannins, both of which it has in spades.

- Antonio Galloni 98 

This delicate red features floral, strawberry, cherry, currant and loamy earth aromas and flavors, showing terrific balance. A line of firm tannins adds support, and the finish is long and expansive. Best from 2023 through 2045. 175 cases imported. 

 -Wine Spectator 97 Points

Gaja Darmagi Cabernet is made from 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon.

Angelo Gaja forever changed the world’s notion of Piedmont wines when he released this historic wine for the first time in 1985 (with the 1982 vintage), made from Bordeaux varietals planted in the township of Barbaresco. According to the often told legend, Angelo Gaja’sfather exclaimed “darmagi!” upon learning that his son had planted Cabernet Sauvignon in vineyards previously devoted to Piedmont’s traditional Nebbiolo grape. Akin to the French quel dommage, the Piedmontese expression darmagi means what a pity! Or what a shame!. With his characteristic respect for tradition and those who came before him, the younger Gaja decided to call this wine Darmagi, a homage to his family’s legacy with an eye toward the future.

Review:

You'll find more dark fruit and more freshness here than in many of the other offerings from Gaja, with a dark, deep inky appearance. The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Darmagi is a 100% expression of the grape, whereas past editions saw tiny parts of Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The fruit comes from a 2.5-hectare vineyard planted in 1978 directly under the town of Barbaresco, setting the stage for an elegant rendition of Cabernet Sauvignon with a fresh and contained style. The wine shows a nice balance between the extraction you get from the grape skins and the rich succulence you get from the pulp inside the berries. In the 2017, you taste more of the skins, and in the 2018, Gaia Gaja comments, you taste more of the pulp. The 2016 offers both, countering each other with precision. Whole grapes are pressed very gently, and the wine is aged in oak for 18 months, with less emphasis on new oak now. In fact, only 30% of the total sees new oak, and a greater percentage of the wine goes into large oak casks instead.

- Wine Advocate 95 Points

Giuseppe Cortese Barbaresco   Rabaja is made from 100 percent Nebbiolo. 

This wine is made entirely from Nebbiolo grapes grown in Barbaresco's prestigious Rabajà vineyard, located in the Langhe hills just to the south of Cortese’s winery. To achieve the perfect structural balance, the wine is aged for twenty-two months in seasoned Slavonian oak casks, then bottled and cellared for an additional thirteen months.

Tasting Notes Unfiltered to preserve its richness, this remarkably elegant Barbaresco offers concentrated aromas of raspberries, roses, violets, leather and spice. Full-bodied with robust flavor and firm tannins.

Food Pairing This Barbaresco pairs well with roasted meat or wild game dishes.

Review:

Fragrant and loaded with finesse, this stunner opens with enticing scents of rose, violet, perfumed berry and camphor. Smooth and extremely elegant, the vibrant, savory palate features juicy red cherry, blood orange and crushed raspberry while star anise and mineral notes suggesting rusty nail—and that's a good thing—add depth. Bright acidity and lithe tannins lend balance and seamless support. It's all about elegance and energy. Drink 2023–2030. Kerin O’Keefe

-Wine Enthusiast 96 Points

La Spinona Sori Gepin Barolo is made from 100 percent Nebbiolo.

Color: Brilliant deep ruby red with garnet reflections.
Bouquet: Rich fruity bouquet with hints of violets , spice and mature berries.
Taste: Densely structured with full, complex flavors of ripened red fruits, wood and earth tones. A Huge wine of elegant proportions that become velvety and graceful with aging.

The Beruttis bought 4 hectares in 1994 in the then relatively unknown zone of Novello which lies on the confines of Monforte and Barolo. A Sorì is an entirely south-facing vineyard. This Sori lies at 230 meters. It is named for the great grandfather that started the Barbaresco vineyards. The vines are an average of 40 years old. The first vintage was the 1996.

The Spinona is a special breed of Piedmontese hunting Dog, which the Berutti’s raise. As the legend goes, this particular dog, Baica, received her place of honor on the label for an act of great heroism. She saved the Berutti’s only son from drowning in the irrigation lake when he was a baby. The son then became a veterinarian to save the dogs and later obtained a degree in agronomy to take care of the vineyards.

Brilliant deep ruby red with garnet reflections. Rich fruity bouquet with hints of violets, spice and mature berries. Densely structured with full, complex flavors of ripened red fruits, wood and earth tones. A huge wine of elegant proportions that becomes velvety and graceful with aging.

Review:

"The 2015 Barolo Sori' Gepin needs quite a bit of air to open, but it is so expressive as that starts to happen. Dried flowers, cedar, tobacco and autumn leaves are laced together in a mid-weight, savory Barolo loaded with character. The 2015 remains nervy and taut, but that is the house style. - Antonio Galloni"

- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (October 2020), 93 pts

La Spinona Sori Gepin Barolo is made from 100 percent Nebbiolo.

Color: Brilliant deep ruby red with garnet reflections.
Bouquet: Rich fruity bouquet with hints of violets , spice and mature berries.
Taste: Densely structured with full, complex flavors of ripened red fruits, wood and earth tones. A Huge wine of elegant proportions that become velvety and graceful with aging.

The Beruttis bought 4 hectares in 1994 in the then relatively unknown zone of Novello which lies on the confines of Monforte and Barolo. A Sorì is an entirely south-facing vineyard. This Sori lies at 230 meters. It is named for the great grandfather that started the Barbaresco vineyards. The vines are an average of 40 years old. The first vintage was the 1996.

The Spinona is a special breed of Piedmontese hunting Dog, which the Berutti’s raise. As the legend goes, this particular dog, Baica, received her place of honor on the label for an act of great heroism. She saved the Berutti’s only son from drowning in the irrigation lake when he was a baby. The son then became a veterinarian to save the dogs and later obtained a degree in agronomy to take care of the vineyards.

Brilliant deep ruby red with garnet reflections. Rich fruity bouquet with hints of violets, spice and mature berries. Densely structured with full, complex flavors of ripened red fruits, wood and earth tones. A huge wine of elegant proportions that becomes velvety and graceful with aging.

Livia Fontana Barbera d'Alba Superiore is made from 100 percent Barbera. 

Organoleptic characteristics: intense ruby red color. Fresh and intense aromas with currants and berries notes. Warm, full, rich and persistent taste, full body. Suitable for long aging.

Excellent accompaniment to warm appetizers, rich first courses, red meat and the medium-seasoned cheeses.

Livia Fontana Barolo Riserva Bussia is made from 100 percent Nebbiolo.

Organoleptic characteristics: garnet red color. Intense and balanced, harmonious bouquet. Pleasantly dry, full and velvety on the palate. A classic Barolo with a very elegant and persistent finish.

The grapes for this wine are coming from a vineyard that is located in the historical part of Bussia called "Le Munie"

Review:

"Truffle, rose, camphor, wild berry and botanical herb are just some of the aromas you'll find on this. Full bodied and youthfully austere, the palate has firm structure and tension, delivering dried cherry, licorice, tobacco and blood orange framed in tightly knit, close-grained tannins. Fresh acidity keeps it balanced. Drink 2023–2033. - Kerin O'KEEFE" - Wine Enthusiast Magazine (December 1st 2019), 93 pts

Palladino Barolo Ornato is made from 100 percent Nebbiolo. 

VINEYARD: Nebbiolo 100%. Subvarietal: Lampia, Michet.

SOIL COMPOSITION: Calcareous clay.

EXPOSURE: South.

MICROCLIMATE: Fairly temperate.

TOTAL SURFACE AREA: 0,30 ha.

YEALD/Ha: 7.000 kg/ha.

COLOUR: Ruby red with purple and garnet reflections.

AROMA: Balsamic, reminiscence of the soil where the grapes grow.

TASTE: Full-bodied with a slightly bitter aftertaste, excellent structure and good predisposition to ageing.

FOOD AFFINITY: Braised or roasted meats, wild game, seasoned and strong cheeses. 

Made with grapes from the Ornate vineyard in Serralunga d'Alba, it has the solid structure that is characteristic of the wines of our region.

With an intense aroma, the characteristic nose has notes of cloves, cinnamon, violets and red cherries. In the mouth, the taste is full and mineral with vigorous tannins and a long finish.

Review:

Ripe berry, dark-spice and camphor aromas are front and center on this fragrant red along with a whiff of iris. Full bodied and juicy, the savory, enveloping palate delivers succulent morello cherry, crushed raspberry, licorice and hints of tobacco. Firm, velvety tannins and fresh acidity provide great structure and balance. Drink 2026–2041.

- Wine Enthusiast 94 Points