Winemaker Notes
Deep garnet red color. On the nose, delicate scents of violets and cherries with traces of black pepper. Rich and refined on the palate, filled with red fruit, spice, raisins and smooth tannins; long-lasting and juicy finish.
Serve with grilled or roasted meat, hearty stews and flavorful cheeses.
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Enthusiast
Dark spice, crushed rose, Alpine herb and mature berry aromas appear in the glass. The structured, elegant palate delivers dried Marasca cherry, cranberry, licorice and tobacco set against firm noble tannins. Fresh acidity lends balance.
-
James Suckling
Tons of cooked plum and candied orange peel here, but also tea-leaf and balsamic notes. Powerfully tannic, but with enough richness to cover all the structure.
-
Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
Travaglini’s 2012 Gattinara Riserva offers the chance to enjoy the flavors of mature nebbiolo without the wait. It tastes of dried cherries and roasted fennel, damp leaves and soft tobacco, the flavors framed in leathery tannins. Pair it with a wild mushroom ragù to accentuate the wine’s earthy appeal.
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.