Gattinara Valferana, Azienda Vitivinicola Nervi 2013

The 2013 Gattinara Valferana is super-expressive today. It is lifted and vertical in feel, with the energy and tension that is typical of the Nebbiolos of Gattinara. An explosion of mountain flowers, herbs and bright red stone fruits, along with beams of fine tannin, give the wine its feel. Bright, saline notes extend the nuanced, crystalline finish. Its classic style notwithstanding, the 2013 has enough mid-palate generosity to drink well with minimal cellaring. (Drink between 2020-2033)

Of the two vineyard sites vinified separately by the folks at Nervi, the 2013 Gattinara Vigna Valferana is perhaps crisper and sharper. The vines are planted some 350 meters above sea level, and although this is not particularly high, they enjoy open, west-facing exposures. The volcanic soils are cooler as a result, and the wine offers beautifully pronounced aromas of forest berry, underbrush, bramble and wild rose. You also get a clear mineral pause with brimstone and crushed granite that lasts for a few brief moments. The tannins are soft and silky. Of the two single-vineyard wines, Vigna Valferana is the more immediate and accessible.