Gotta get your Gattinara!
8/30/26 -
Today we are highlighting four wine that represent the best of Gattinara. Here at CSW we adore wines from this sub-Alpine zone for their approachability upon release and serious aging potential. Alto Piemonte was once more prestigious than Barolo, but two world wars, phylloxera, and the rapidly expanding textile industry caused farmers to abandon vines out of necessity. The three producers here have stood the test of time: Nervi, Bianchi, and Petterino. We decanted and enjoyed every bottle offered here over the past week and truly believe they represent the best of the region.
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Bianchi 2016 Gattinara Vigneto Valferana Riserva
The 2016 from Bianchi shows dried cherries up front, then the leafy, woodsy notes start to pop out. After a few hours in a decanter, more complex smoke, potpourri, mint, and ferrous minerality signature of Valferana really shines. A lick of raspberry brightens up the finish. We enjoyed this bottle over the course of 3 days, suggesting its great now with air or can continue aging. The Paitin family of Barbaresco recently bought over this estate. While I will continue to support the new project and even tasted the new wines already, this is a rare chance to stock up on 10 year old Gattinara at a great price before its gone!
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Petterino 2015 Gattinara Riserva
A new release from Marco Petterino's is always a special day and we have been impatiently waiting for this to land! He only farms 2.5H and blends his top Gattinara vineyards together (Permolone, Castelle & Guardieto) to make one wine. He is aging far beyond what's standard and releasing vintages as they are ready, not abiding to chronological order. The wine shows alpine berries and florals, burdock, spearmint, pine needles, and iron-y minerals with an angular structure. Aged for 3 years in oak followed by 6 months in steel to naturally filter and years of bottle aging. The 2015 is exquisite now but can age decades. A 2010 opened amongst friends recently was the wine of the night!
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Nervi-Conterno 2022 Gattinara
The flagship Gattinara from Nervi-Conterno is a blend of the Garavoglie, Casacce, Molsino and Valferana vineyards. Aged for about three years in large oak barrels. This wine is drinking well now and leans more aromatic with dried rose petals, juicy cherry, and blood orange. Underneath its deepened by black olive, tobacco, mint and fleshy, approachable tannins. This is a stunning wine that shows how lovely Nebbiolo can be in the Alpine foothills of Alto Piemonte.
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Nervi-Conterno 2020 Gattinara Valferana
The first thing to notice about the wine are the beautifully open knit tannins that feel almost silky. The fruit profile is bright with fresh florals and sweet spices. Layers of minerality underneath like seashells and iron frame this as a very special wine representing the best of Valferana. 2020 was a great vintage for Alto Piemonte creating aromatically complex wines with open structure. Yields were down in 2021 due to unfortunate hail, so I am happy to have enough of the 2020 to offer today.
-Marisa Licandro
