2 Small Production 2013 Nebbiolo Riserva Gems from New Alto Piemonte Producer - 2 Rare, Wonderful and Different DOCs to Complete Our Coverage

The Wonder of Alto Piemonte Regions Is Now Complete
 - 2 of the Hardest Regions to Find Wineries
 - I Found a Brilliant New Producer
 - Stunning Values That Would Cost $60+ in the Langhe
 - Each 7 Years of Age from the Fantastic 2013 Vintage

2013 Vigneti Valle Roncati Sizzano Riserva "San Bartolomeo"
 - Exceedingly Rare: Only 8 Producers
 - Only 300 Cases Made
 - Metaphorically, St. Joseph
 - Very Hilly, Incredibly Low Yields
 - Incredibly Old School on the Nose
 - Cigar, Cuban Tobacco, Chestnut, Tar, Dried Roses
 - Stunning Clarity
 - Palate: Astonishing Purity and Freshness
 - Mid Season Ripe Cherries and Wonderful Opulence

2013 Vigneti Valla Roncati Fara Riserva "Ciada"
 - Very Rare - Only 20 Hectares Total
 - Only 120 Cases Made
 - A Longer Ager than The Sizzano
 - Metaphorically, Cote Rotie
 - Nose: Insane
 - Honey, Roses, so Floral
 - Stunning Spice
 - Palate: Grand Cru Level Breadth and Concentration
 - Gorgeous Cherry Fruit. Dried Roses
 - Spicy Earthy Minerals
 - Concentrated, Deep and Complex

For many people who know me they know I am a completist. I finish things I start but I also go all in if it's something I'm very passionate about.

For example my original vision for the Burgundy portfolio was to have in the portfolio at the same time all of the appellations. I wanted a Vosne Romanee, a Rully, a Mercurey, a Montagny, a Chambolle, etc. Every single appellation in Burgundy, in the right hands, is capable of making profound wine.  But while I did find some of the best producers all over Burgundy, most of the wines from less famous regions did not sell. The power of the big Burgundy AOC brands was too strong.

The Opportunity in Alto Piemonte
But just because completist wine importing philosophy doesn't work in Burgundy doesn't mean it

can't work somewhere else. And it does work somewhere else. That is Alto Piemonte. Alto Piemonte has become my favorite region in all of Italy. The diversity of terroirs, the old school and young school abundance of great winemakers which we proudly represent a large amount of them and the just ridiculous value.

I will say that I think we have the best Alto Piemonte portfolio in the United States. We can sell small amounts of wines that other importers can't take on. That's an advantage in Alto Piemonte as these young winemakers makes insanely small lots of wine but are growing eventually in the future and we can get them to more clients. 

Today I am thrilled to introduce not only a new estate but two new appellations in Alto Piemonte which COMPLETES what I didn't get a chance to do in Burgundy. I am now selling elite level wineries in all the Alto Piemonte appellations. The merging of my completist OCD side with actually good business sense has finally happened. Today's estate, Vigneti Valle Roncati makes Sizzano and Fara. Both new to me and likely new to many of you.

First of all I knew I was working with this estate at the first sniff of the Sizzano. That doesn't happen often. Stuck my nose in the glass and was just like, yeah, I'm working with these guys. Just a no brainer. Let's get into the two wines and the appellations and this is some interesting and delicious wine. They are unapologetically old school wines but they are super clean. I adore these wines. They are so new to me and so delicious and also represent their appellations so vividly.

The Wines
First up is the 2013 Vigneti Valle Roncati Sizzano Riserva "San Bartolomeo" which is $34.99 a bottle on a 4-pack. Sizzano has been a DOC since 1996 and already loved by Camillo Benso Conte di Cavour, who compared its bouquet to that of the famous Burgundy, and who combined it with the "Finanziera", one of the typical Piedmontese dishes. There are only around 8 producers of Sizzano right now and it is exceedingly rare. Sizzano is between Ghemme and Fara. Ghemme to its north and Fara to its East in the commune of Novara. It's very hilly and yields are low. Planted in the vineyards of Vigneti Valle Roncati is 70% Nebbiolo, and 30% Uva Rara and Vespolina. There is less iron in the Sizzano soils than compared to Bramaterra.

This wine is the wine wine I sniffed it I knew it was special. This wine is awesome. Old school. Cigar, Cuban tobacco, chestnut, tar, dried roses on the nose. So so so Nebbiolo. The high toned aromas are just stunning. Really wafts. It's old school but super clean. Pop and pour and the aromas just kill! Wow. Wow.

Palate is just gorgeous. Astonishing purity and freshness and oodles of mid season ripe cherries and

wonderful opulence. Superb juiciness. Like 10/10 juiciness. Lovely velvety tannins and such a long juicy finish. So so pure. This is a freakshow. The next day it was even better. I find the Nebbiolo-based wines from up North tend to do better the 2nd compared to their Southern brethren. Nose is awesome. So old school. Leather, tar, spice so much spice, charcoal, roses and saddle leather. So complex and awesome. Palate is ripe and juicy with tons of finesse and deep cherry fruit. Autumn leaves, fresh acidity and it lingers. Awesome texture and big dark black fruits and some mid season red cherries. Terrific. This is ready to go now but will age gloriously for 15+ years.

Up next the final appellation to complete the circle. Fara. Sounds so Dantean. The 2013 Vigneti Valla Roncati Fara Riserva "Ciada" can be had for $36.99 a bottle on a 4-pack. Fara was highly appreciated by abbots, bishops and lords who, in the Middle Ages, devoted themselves to the cultivation of its vines not only for liturgical purposes, but also to ensure an income essential for the support of the ecclesiastical community through the sale of the product. Although the base of Nebbiolo is lower in percentage than other wines in the area, Fara is highly appreciated by connoisseurs, usually as a wine to be enjoyed in its youth depending on its freshness and pleasantness. It was recognized to D.O C. in 1969. Having said that, today's Fara is an ager for sure. I see it lasting longer then the Sizzano. It's more refined and has deeper structure and even more of a cool climate expression. Oh man. If the Sizzano is the St. Joseph the Fara is the Côte Rotie. Wow.

Insane nose. Honey, roses, so floral. Takes 25 minutes to get crazy. Stunning spice. So pure.  Really one of those noses that you can live in for 20 minutes before even taking a sip.  You know this wine is a star just by smelling it.

Palate is so juicy and deep with such breadth. Big, ripe and juicy tannins. But big. Impactful. So long. Just saps the palate. Truly a fine fine wine. So elegant and nimble yet also has power. Grand Cru level. Really concentrated. Echoes on the palate. Got even better on Day 2. Gorgeous cherry fruit. Dried roses. Wow. So so floral. Spicy earthy minerals. Palate is concentrated, deep and complex. Very chewy tannins and terrific structure. Big boned and incredible depth to this. Slatey almost Aglianico-like tannins. This has 15-20 years ahead of it and will be better in 3-4 years. Drink the Sizzano while the Fara ages a bit more.

Vigneti Valle Roncati
The estate first started making wines from it's owned grapes in 2005 so it is relatively new.  Corrado and Cecilia founded the estate to go return to their family's roots in the region.


The philosophy here is one foot steeped in tradition but also using a modern approach to making elite quality wine.  Yields are very low and they are intervening as minimally as possible in both the vineyards and the cellar.  Both Fara and Sizzano in the past had large yields and low quality grapes at the expense of the wines. Everything is hands on at the 9 hectare estate.

2013 Vigneti Valle Roncati Sizzano Riserva "San Bartolomeo" - $36.99 ($139.96 4-pack) 

2013 Vigneti Valle Roncati Fara Riserva "Ciada" - $38.99 

($147.96 4-pack)