Winemaker Notes
100% Nebbiolo from estate’s single vineyard ‘San Francesco’ cru at 390 meters above sea level. Aged in 18 months in mostly used tonneaux, then 18 months in 25-35 hectoliter Slavonian or French oak casks, then aged for one year before release.
Blend: 100% Nebbiolo
Professional Ratings
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Wine & Spirits
This wine shows a darker and earthier side of nebbiolo than Antoniolo’s high-toned Osso San Grato bottling (also recommended here). The San Francesco unfolds with flavors of ripe dark cherry and plum laced with notes of tobacco, graphite and dark chocolate. The wine fleshes out with exposure to air, taking on savory and smoky notes that make it a match for grilled meats.
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Wine Spectator
This is an opulent red, whose macerated plum and cherry flavors are framed by leather, vanilla and tar accents. On the soft side, getting lift from lightly chewy tannins on the finish. Drink now.
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.