Winemaker Notes
100% Nebbiolo from 55 year old vines planted in morainic and volcanic soils. Maceration on the skins in cement vats for 14-16 days, pumping over with sprinklers, maturation for 1 year in 350-500 litre tonneaux and 18 months in large oak casks (20-25 Hl). Finishing in the bottle for 1 year.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
This intense version reveals licorice, cherry, tar, leather and stony mineral aromas and flavors in spades. Fresh and savory, with a long, chalky feel on the finish. Shows fine potential and plenty of life ahead. Best from 2020 through 2033.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
This is a special wine with its own cult following. The 2012 Gattinara San Francesco stands apart for its apparent fruit intensity and the extra density and richness that it so generously offers to the palate. Dark cherry and blackberry drive a long and exuberant finish.
Attracting the most glory, prestige and fame to the Piedmont region, Nebbiolo in all of its expressions—Barolo, Barbaresco, Roero, Ghemme and Gattinara—creates a complex wine, truly unique for its delicate qualities combined with strength and a great potential to improve over time.
But Nebbiolo isn’t all there is to red wine from Piedmont! Barbera is the most planted variety and historically most popular as a dependable, food-friendly, everyday wine.
Beyond these two, a surprising number of red varieties call Piedmont their home. Worth a try include Dolcetto for its bold concentration and aromas of spice cake. Other grapes to investigate include Freisa, Croatina, Brachetto, Grignolino and Pelaverga.
EWLITANTGSF12_2012 Item# 509864