Winemaker Notes
Named after Bernardo Vallana, a legendary winemaker and the first to bring Spanna. The wine is 100% Spanna, the local name for Nebbiolo in Alto Piemonte.
Professional Ratings
-
Vinous
The 2020 Colline Novaresi Spanna Cuvée Bernardo Vallana is laced with hints of macerated dark cherry, spice, leather, tobacco, incense and dried flowers. Aromatic and deep, with pungent intensity, the 2020 has a ton to offer. The Bernardo Vallana is powerful and a bit rustic, but it's also attractive in its own way.
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.