2013 Platinetti Guido, Nebbiolo, Colline Novaresi DOC, Piedmont, Italy.
This gorgeous and satisfying Nebbiolo from the hills of the Colline Novaresi in the northern Piedmonte, this has to be one of the real bright spots in Italy these days with so many small family wineries being discovered, like Platinetti who farm organically a tiny plot of vines and who make very traditional wines. While they do also made a Ghemme cru version too, this one really caught my attention for it’s deep color, which is helped by the addition of 10% Barbera, and the warm ripe layers of flavors of the 2013 vintage, it was given a short maceration and ferment in vat before being aged 10 months in big Slavonian cask, then held another year in bottling, which allows it to be thrilling right away and easy to love with detail and purity. The soils are mostly alluvial with graceful mineral elements showing through in this Nebbiolo, it’s medium full bodied highlights the year with rich density and sweet tannins, but at 13% this beauty shows fine form and good acidity, coming from mature 40 year vines it has plenty of character and class with subtle complexity. The pretty dried floral notes, black cherry and savory iron/stone/earth elements are followed by damson plum, porcini/leather, flinty spices, saline infused black licorice, candied orange rind, bay leaf, tangy currant, fig paste and minty wild lavender impress on the palate leaving a pleasing impact which certainly leaves a huge smile, fans of Barbaresco and Barolo might want to look north and search this wine out, imported by Sonoma’s Balanced Wine Selections, a small group that pinpoints on small quality producers in France, Italy and Spain. This Platinetti Guido is an expressive offering that reminds me a bit of Piane of Boca or Val del Prete of Roero, both great wines, showing just how good this Colline Novaresi Nebbiolo is and what a stupid good value it is, drink it over the next 5 to 7 years.
($22 Est.) 92 Points, grapelive
