Go-To Gattinara.

Antoniolo Gattinara

There’s a Nebbiolo for everyone...I usually do not have to explain why, but most wine drinkers know I’m going to backup such a statement with something all too relevant. You’ve had your whims about Barolo and your delineations about Barbaresco, with the only potential recourse you face is buying something just as good. Not to say that the two Piedmontese giants are always memorable, but not all of them are. Let me act as the heretic here and do something completely out of question. I say, to hell with the idea that two of Italy’s best D.O.C.G’s are keeping at the cusp of the best, and most recognizable wines next to...I don’t know, Brunello and Chianti?Whatever your tastes, there’s a whole lot going on with a grape that has succumbed to an antithetical lack of tampering and tempering. 

Ever hear of Gattinara? It’s still a Piedmont success, but It has the acclaim of being able to accept other grapes into the working order of winemaking. Denominational law states that 90% must be true Nebbiolo, (a.k.a. "Spanna") that is, in the Northwestern piece of territory, where the Bonarda di Gattinara and Vespolina grapes are certainly permitted within conventional blending. The whole idea has me wondering why no one else has had the penchant to explore this further, I mean, the concept conjures up so many eroticisms that I can hardly keep from blushing. Imagine, something like a Barolo, with a greater presence of heftiness, darker fruits, and floral undertones. Although the wine from this area can be somewhat tannic, it still benefits those who are looking for something with a little more force. 

Travaglini

I love the fact it’s only been accepted as a D.O.C.G superior since 1990 and the prices aren’t exponentially rising as a result. Considering some of the bottle prices ranging at $30 or more, it doesn’t seem to build on that sense of boredom found in Barolo and Barbaresco with similar figures in mind. Antonioio makes a perfectly good one, with the brazen, black cherry liqueur making appearances here and there, while the notes of crushed lilacs and rose petal intertwine their way through a manifold of silkened tannins. As I always do, I try to recommend another bottle and without further delays, not that there were supposed to be any, I lean my attenuations toward Travaglini’s latest Gattinara. It’s somewhat similar to others, but the artistry tends to evoke plum fruit somehow. Call me a heretic again; however, that’s what I’m saying, tasting, feeling and genuinely sticking-to. 

Roast me as you will, you’re better-off buying a rump and putting that one in the oven if you must. Besides, a Gattinara pairs well with a similar cut of meat other than the one you’ll find talking about wine today. Please, do not kill me for saying all the wrong things about denominations that have nothing but the righteous promises for good wine, but consider putting out that fire in your mind that torches around when spending $60-plus on those famous “Killer B’s” we all seem to love. The little “G” is not so little anymore and it’s time to recognize that. He’s attracting girls, and sometimes, boys now, so it’s going to be hard to let him go when he becomes too involved with either of them. 

Sometimes, you know, they’re not always as cute when they get older.

Brian Maniotis

Westchester Wine Warehouse Team

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