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Northern Piedmont is a patchwork of small Nebbiolo‑centric appellations such as Gattinara, Ghemme, Carema, Boca, Bramaterra, Lessona, Fara, Sizzano (dizzying, yes) and the of course the broader Colline Novaresi appellation which may or may not include some of the above mentioned regions (yup...it's confusing).
It
is in the Colline Novaresi that you will find some of
Italy's rarest grapes. The two featured here today are Uva
Rara and Vespolina.
Ian
D'Agata, the Italian grape authority, mentions that Uva Rara
is almost never bottled alone, and Vespolina, he believes, is
one of Italy's best native varietals. He also
sights Francesco Brigatti as the top producer for both of
these varietals.
Now
for the two wines:
2024
Francesco Brigatti Uva Rara
(Italy, Northern Piedmont, Colline Novaresi)
$30
Originally
we were intrigued by the name of the grape so we asked to
taste the wine. Our wine notes (six years old) were a scribble
of excitement. "Bright, energy, spice, exotic" are the more
legible words. Today we have notes that can actually be read:
First
impressions: garnet, pure, light in color but not rose-like,
more chillable red-like. Aromatics are quick to fill the
room; exotic red berry fruit, graphite, alpine herbs,
licorice...
The
first sip: beautiful red berry fruit mixed with plum,
pomegranate, rhubarb, then spice! Yum. Like a clean pepper
spice from mid-palate through to the finish. There's a nice
mineral-acidity streak throughout...and as the wine opens a
savory quality mingles with more expressive darker fruit. Over
all this is a brilliant wine from one of the best producers.
2024
Francesco Brigatti Vespolina
(Italy, Northern Piedmont, Colline Novaresi)
$30
A shade darker in the glass with more red and purple fruit aromas mingling with spice (cardamon, clove?), more alpine herbs...a bit fuller on the palate, juicier, with blood orange, red berry, spice, light-structured tannins, and another long finish. This one needs a bit of time in the glass.
(Italy, Northern Piedmont, Colline Novaresi)
$30
A shade darker in the glass with more red and purple fruit aromas mingling with spice (cardamon, clove?), more alpine herbs...a bit fuller on the palate, juicier, with blood orange, red berry, spice, light-structured tannins, and another long finish. This one needs a bit of time in the glass.
30 minutes later the wine is still developing. A bit more savory, minerality is emerging, plusher now but still only near-medium in body. Very fresh and long on the finale. Another stellar wine.
We
love that both are 13%, that they are very worthy of their
price tag, and that the winery found a new home on the West
coast with Palermo Wines (thank you Anthony!).
