Young, fresh Nebbiolo can be a gorgeous thing, but Nebbiolo is definitely a grape that is at its best after cellaring, when the truffles start to come out. It's hard to find true "values" in... Read More

Young, fresh Nebbiolo can be a gorgeous thing, but Nebbiolo is definitely a grape that is at its best after cellaring, when the truffles start to come out. It's hard to find true "values" in the mature Nebbiolo category. But you can if you know where to look: like the Alto Piemonte's foothills north of Barolo and Barbaresco.

There, you will find Marco Petterino, a humble, under-the-radar producer who farms just four acres of vines in Gattinara. Gattinara may be the best spot for Nebbiolo (or Spanna as they call it up there) in the Alto Piemonte. Like other wines from Alto Piemonte, they are floral and a touch spicy, and have structure that is good but not as aggressive as in Barolo or Barbaresco. But Gattinara has more richness, and it tends to have a sort of red, gravelly minerality, perhaps thanks to its red-hued soils.

Like almost all Nebbiolo, Gattinara ages exceptionally well. We love them in the 10-15 year range, when the wines still have fruitiness and vigor but are also starting to show truffle and the mineral side of the wine. Fortunately, that's how Marco likes them too, so he releases some of his wines very late. And we, of course, take advantage.