You can be forgiven for never having heard of the Pelgaverga Piccolo grape. It’s cultivated only in a very small part of Piemonte; in Verduno, just down the northern slope of La Morra hill in Barolo. It’s been in the ground there...
G. D. Vajra is a family-owned winery known for its dedication to producing wines that respect tradition while embracing innovation. Located in the heart of Barolo, the estate is renowned for its attention to detail and sustainable practices, focusing on...
I’ve been bumping up against the wines of Enzo Boglietti for many years- the first time being, I think, back around 2001 or ‘02 when several appeared in a blind tasting of nearly 300 Barolos and Barbarescos done over three days in Alba. ...
Vinous: 97 Points Outer quote mark Conterno’s 2016 Barolo Francia is effusive, with a real sense of expansiveness that gives the wine breadth. Sage, mint, cedar, tobacco and strong mineral accents complement a core of dark fruit in a...
Wine Country: Italy Wine Subregion: Piemonte Wine Sub-subregion: Barolo Whether I’m travelling in Piemonte speaking with actual people or lurking on various social media sites where the local wine cognoscenti gather, I always have my radar engaged...
This is, in many ways, the most representative wine in the cellar and always one of the best. The vineyard is so steep, standing in it, you feel like you’re about fall off! An elegant, ultra-refined vintage here with amazing lift and polish. This...
let’s also consider Barbera 2.0 !The Odderos have been producing a Barbera d’Asti DOC for many decades but, because they made so little, and because the family was always worried that American consumers would confuse their two Barberas,...
Tasting Notes: Brovia’s Arneis is as good as it gets for this white grape from Piedmont. The wine offers mineral tones, citrus zest, and crisp and lightly exotic notes. This is absolutely delicious stuff with great vibrancy and soft-textured fruit...
Wine Country: Italy Wine Subregion: Piemonte Thank goodness there are people like Christoph Kunzli in the world; people who value time-honored winemaking traditions while, at the same time, have the energy, passion and vision to bring great wines to the...
100% Ribolla Gialla While tourists still flock in incredible numbers to Venice, Verona and Milan in northern Italy, they still seem reluctant to explore much further east, even though those who do will discover one of the most unique, historic and...
It’s not hard to find Pinot Grigio out there. There’s a virtual ocean of it made from the flatlands of Trentino and the Veneto available for your easy-drinking pleasure. But those inexpensive but often character-deficient PGs give...
Enzo and Carlo Revello take over their father’s estate in 1990: their vineyards, once belonging to the local parish, boast parcels in the crus of Giachini, Rocche dell’Annunziata, Conca dell’Annunziata and Gattera.Starting in 2016 the...
Brovia’s parcel is all of a half-hectare of vines planted back in 1975. The spot faces dead south and farmed organically by winemaker Alex Sanchez, by marriage, the fourth generation Brovia to farm the site. While his cru Barolos get lots and...
There are many who think this has become the top wine in the cellar as it shows all of the hallmark elegance and balance of this cellar. To me it is always the wine I’d most want to use to show off the many attributes of Barolo in general...
A young winery that’s very much on the lips of everyone in the Langhe, the young brother-sister combo Alberto and Caterina Burzi’s cellar is in an innocuous-looking building off the Santa Maria parking lot, just across the street from...
Walter Fissore at Cogno has done an incredible job with Nascetta, taking this relatively unknown grape of Novello and bringing out its richness, texture and lovely character. In a blind tasting you might think it was a very fine Vouvray!...
Nowhere else, I think, does the unique soil of a region so inform the style of the wine as it does in the Soave Classico appellation. Located on a sweep of hills that roll eastward as far as the Venice lagoon, this area is not to be confused with...
Known around La Morra as ‘Barologirl’ Giulia Negri is making quite a name for herself, not only thanks to a turn around her vineyards on TV with Stanley Tucci but with wines like this pretty, easy-to-love Nebbiolo. 2021 Giulia...
The name of this obscure, off-the-beaten path appellation is actually bigger than the actual land it covers but, trust me, once you’ve had a glass or two, ‘Blanc de Morgex et de la Salle’ will just roll off your tongue. The wine comes from the adjoining...
Wine professionals love to argue about Pigato, the very intriguing white grape indigenous to Liguria. Pigato is Vermentino many argue. But ask any farmer working the steep, rocky slopes that loom over the ocean there and they’ll tell you there’s a big...
Winery Notes: With one eye on the past while boldly looking to the future, roots as deep as the wrinkles furrowing a forehead capture the shy smile on the face of the farmer as he lovingly describes that special vineyard, that micro zone or that micro...
Winery Notes: A strong and well-rounded wine, Barolo Villero reflects a soil richer in clay and limestone than that of Rocche di Castiglione, located in the same town. The bouquet offers intriguing and dense scents of violet, red fruits, cocoa and...
Winery Notes: Attractive appearance with an intense ruby-red color with purple hints, a vinous aroma, sometimes fruity, and a dry taste with a full body and a pleasant touch of bitterness
Flavio Roddolo is one of those true originals you can still find in Langhe hills. From his tiny, careworn cellar and farmhouse on the Bricco Appiani hilltop near Monforte d’Alba, he produces all of 20,000 bottles annually of truly original,...
Winery Notes: The six hectare Monprivato vineyard is beautifully situated facing southwest, in the town of Castiglione Falletto. The Mascarellos now own all of Monprivato (having purchased small plots from a couple of neighbors in the period...
Wine Country: Italy Wine Subregion: Piemonte Wine Sub-subregion: Langhe Wine Varietal: Nebbiolo Altare needs no introduction here but Giarborina might- it’s a ‘Super Langhe Nebbiolo’ made entirely from Arborina vines aged in small...
Winery Notes: Margherita Otto is a new winery located in Monforte d’Alba founded by an American (turned Piemontese!), Alan Manley. Alan grew up in Westchester, NY, and later moved to Colorado where he ran his own restaurant for many years. It...
If you followed our @prima_dublin Instagram during Brandon and my recent trip to Italy, you’ll already know all about the high-quality sparkling wines of Franciacorta DOCG in Northern Italy. This appellation couldn’t be any more picturesque;...
Tasting Notes: Color: bright straw yellow. Aromatic Profile: fruity and floral, notes of acacia, green apple, peach and apricot. Taste Profile: savory and mineral, persistent with elegant finish. Nice acidity and balanced structure.
Wine Country: Italy
Wine Subregion: Piemonte
Wine Sub-subregion: Barbaresco
Wine Varietal: Nebbiolo
Another stupendous effort from the Rocca sisters! Totally surprised we even had this….
Importer's Notes: 100% Barbera From small parcels in the Serraboella vineyard in Neive, 350 meters elevation, Clay soil, Southeast-facing, Vine aged 25 yearsFermentation and maceration over 8-12 days in steel vats at controlled...
PRIMA Notes: The 2019 Langhe Nebb, we’ve loved it ever since it first went into the bottle and it has only gotten better with the extra time in the bottle. While Chiara sometimes glibly calls her Nebbiolo a ‘Baby Barolo,’ I...
I first fell in love with this family operation, now well over a decade ago, while visiting the Fantinos’ sleek winery perched high above the town of Monforte d’Alba for a group tasting event. Conterno-Fantino were part of the Langa-In...
We promise you, despite the momentary relapse into winter, our gorgeous California spring is on the way and this is the perfect wine for patio sipping. Susasi means, in the Piemontese dialect, ‘chosen’ and every year the Deltettos...
Even though we know it’s warm out there and the temptation to open this right away is irresistible, we recommend you save some too. We just drank our last 2021 at home. - JRFrom the alpine hills of the Alta Piemonte comes this absolutely sensational dry...
Raspberry and red fruits with licorice, augmented by a delicate mineral component. In the mouth it is still quite structured but has a warm, inviting mid palate characterized by ripe red and black fruits and notes of black pepper, licorice and dried...
The Barolo Bussia, on the other hand, stands in perfect contrast. While Brunate is one of the oldest cuvees in the Ceretto cellar (we also have a 1970 here at PRIMA!), Bussia is the newest- the 2016 being only the second vintage since they began...
Wine Advocate: Dedicated to grandpa Martino, the Ferraris 2016 Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato Opera Prima per il Fondatore is a release of exactly 17,333 bottles packaged in a traditional label and closed with a wax cork. The wine is dark and...
Tasting Notes: The Mauro Molino Barolo Luciani presents itself as a wine with an enchanting bouquet,with hints of rose, violet and red berries, with a marked elegance andfemininity and persistent richness to the palate.
I stumbled upon these two gems while leafing through an importer’s book and my eyes nearly jumped out of my head! Do these unicorns really exist? This blue chip Barolo Cannubi from a vintage pretty much considered as one of the best vintages ever from...
I first met Massimo Martinelli at the old Renato Ratti cantina in La Morra now almost 20 years ago. At the time, he was not only the longtime winemaker at Ratti (he was Ratti’s nephew, and started working there when he was 15), he was also...
"There is a red wine of Nebiule (Nebbiolo) made in this neighborhood which is very singular. It is about as sweet as the silky Madeira, as astringent on the palate as Bordeaux, and as brisk as Champagne. It is a pleasing wine." - Thomas Jefferson ~...
Winery Notes: Brilliant straw-yellow colour. Refined, quite pronounced, fresh nose with aromatical notes of ripe yellow fruit (melon), citrus, floral and mineral nuances, with a hint of almond. Medium-bodied on the palate, is has good intensity and...
Winery Notes: Red garnet color with orange glints. Elegant and intense on the nose with notes of blackcurrants, pomegranate, raspberries and rose petal. On the palate, the wine showcases good structure, a full body, and velvety tannins.
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 95 Points: Introducing the 2015 Barolo Arione. This is the first vintage produced of the newest wine to join the extended and ever-evolving Conterno portfolio. Only three oak casks were produced: the one I tasted from...
2015 Oddero Barolo Bussia Soprana Vigna Mondoca Riserva Wine Advocate: Here's a wine that brings on the best of the 2015 vintage. This growing season that will be remembered for sunshine and warmth is distinguished by rich and...
Profound floral perfumes and minerality come out vividly, red and dark berries, sour cherry, lavender and graphite dominate the nose together with gentle scents of violet petal, rose bud and a hint of pine.