First certainty: We talk a lot about Alto Piemonte, but we still drink too little.
Second certainty: Those who love Nebbiolo cannot help but love these areas.
End of certainties.
What follows are scattered notes to share after many tastings done at Castello di Novara during Taste Alto Piemonte 2024, an annual reference event for those who know or want to know the area. This year many confirmations, few but beautiful discoveries and some freewheeling reflections.
In a Mouth If I don’t find the bitter orange I’m not happy. And in that 2020 of Guardasole estates there’s lots of zest, then fabulous undergrowth, black pepper, thyme. The farm of Marco Bui which works organically has grown from year to year and with this Boca has made the leap in quality, which will be complete with the 2021 vintage (very promising barrel tasting).
If the Boca 2020 of Davide Carlone – usually always among the most convincing – perhaps still needs time (the nose is exuberant, but the mouth appears a little lacking in tension), his Croatina 2019 Colline Novaresi Doc (from an 80-year-old vineyard on volcanic soil ) is a delicious pleasure. A bottle that I would always like to have in the cellar. Worth noting is the restyling of the labels, which is also underway for another historic winery in the area, i.e Podere ai Valloni, which produces the most Mediterranean Boca of the denomination: Christian Vineyard 2015, which shows off a definitive and multifaceted balsamic.
Silvia Barbaglia instead it presents a “small” new wine that has a great future: it’s called Cascina del Buonumore and it is a Colline Novaresi Doc Rosso 2022 produced with the same grapes used for Boca but coming from the lower vineyards. Nebbiolo and vespolina that only make steel: the imprint of the porphyry and the volcano is clear and the sip is captivating. A truly centered wine.
Chapter Bramaterra.
In addition to having a beautiful and evocative name, this is the DOC from Alto Piedmont in which in recent times we have found greater excitement and also an incredible average quality. We told it here and, two years later, we emerge from this event with confirmation. The reference to this denomination remains Odilio Antoniotti: his Bramaterra 2020 already has everything and is incredibly ready. Complex, but very modern, agile sip: you can read it on multiple levels and at the moment it is everything I would like in a glass. Another confirmation is Bramaterra Cascina Cottignano 2019 by Colombera & Garella: very elegant floral and a perfect balance. If the oenologist Cristiano Garella is now a point of reference for the whole territory, the young winery of Lorenzo Ceruti at Casa del Bosco (Sostegno): agile, subtractive and inspired wines.
No longer a discovery the refinement of Fabio Zambolin (FeldoCoasts of Sesia Rosso e Vallelonga, Coste della Sesia Nebbiolo) very talented winemaker from Cossato. Fabio also works in the team of The Pianelle, Brusnengo winery Chesul Bramaterra doesn’t miss a beat (when tasted, however, the 2019 vintage is in much better shape than the 2018, which is a bit slow). Another wine of the day – after Antoniotti – is always Bramaterra Balmi Bioti 2019 by The building. Anyone who has doubts about the “mineral” recognition should try it. Incredible flavor and depth, almost salty and a fleshy fruit (of the forest) fused with the balsamic part.
Side note: those who use cement in winemaking have an edge. Throughout Upper Piedmont. Where among other things the only weak point for many unfortunately remains the management of the wood.
It’s almost obvious to say that i Gattinara Of Antoniolo they are always impeccable and accurately photograph the differences between the various crus (there is a derby between fans of San Grato bone and those of Saint Francis); the taste of it is a bit surprising instead Franchino. I always thought that the one from the cellar of Alberto Raviciotti it was the most Gattinara Gattinara, the one to be tasted by those who love this area and also by those who don’t know it, sometimes almost divisive due to its characteristic ferrous and bloody note. Which however isn’t there in 2020 (yet?): a somewhat more “lessonistic” sip. Nice wine, let’s be clear, but much “less Gattinara”.
About the Lessona.
Every now and then I have to remind myself that classic is not always synonymous with boring or too technical. The San Sebastiano Allo Zoppo 2016 by Sella estates it is a wine that anyone should taste to review the precision in the glass. Perhaps I am fascinated by a historic vineyard, but this wine seems to be the emblem of the flavor and elegance of the sands of this territory. Useful review especially for those who abuse small woods and perhaps are not entirely clear on the difference between evolution and oxidation.
Returning to the Gattinara area. Having some (perhaps wrong) prejudices about the production of the classic method from Nebbiolo, I had never delved into the wines of Of the lordone of the first companies in the area to have believed in it: its two bubbles are certainly interesting, but The Putto 2019 (the only Gattinara from large barrels in the company line) is truly a great Gattinara-Gattinara.
And the vespolina? It’s good when it throws you under a cascade of pepper and makes you want to drink it even a little chilled in summer. Without many pretensions… without wood. In order of podium: Paride Chiovini, Francesco Brigatti, Miru.
The whites of the area (erbaluce based which cannot be declared on the label) always appear a little too stiff: Rinaldi presents Costa di Sera dei Tabacchei, 2023 still broken down and needs a bottle to bring out (in addition to salt) the potential it has. The most convincing (as indeed is the entire line of the cellar, which has as its crown jewel the Will make) is the white Colline Novaresi Lucia Of Francesca Castaldi.
The notes on the documents are scant Sizzano (the most interesting is undoubtedly that of Paride Chiovinitasted in magnums) and on Ghemme, which on average appeared a little subdued with little dynamism and woods often to be disposed of. Two quality confirmations: Mazzoni Viticulturists with Dei Mazzoni and At Levels, as well Francesco Brigatti with Beyond the forest 2019, although I would always like to have a demijohn of his “simple” Colline Novaresi MotZiflon.
 discoveries, many confirmations and two granite certainties){kind=link}