Producer: Le Pianelle 
Region: Piedmont, Italy 
Blend: 80% Nebbiolo, 10% Croatina and 10% Vespolina 
Year: 2017   

Vinous, 92 Points 

"The 2017 Bramaterra is wonderfully deep and generous. There is a bit less nuance and delineation than in most vintages as well as slightly coarse tannins that give the impression the 2017 needs a few years to soften. Time in the glass brings out lovely inner sweetness in the dried red cherry fruit, tobacco and cedar flavors along with a real feeling of weightlessness. The 2017 doesn't match the best years here, but it comes close. Drink: 2025-2037.(Mar 2022)" 

Winemaker Notes: 

"This Bramaterra shows some of the wiry structure typical of the appellation, but also a broad range of generous flavors (tobacco-leaf, sandalwood, red fruits); it is ripe but also very fresh in acidity, a hallmark of this region, ageworthy but drinkable when young too." 

About the Producer: 

"Cristiano Garella is a leading winemaker in this area with a number of vintages under his belt. His style is clean but transparent, his goal being to maximize the native character and flavors from this very distinctive Nebbiolo terroir.  If you love Nebbiolo you should try it. Lovers of Barolo/Barbaresco will have noticed that Bramaterra is typically blended with Vespolina and Croatina, whereas B/B are always 100% Nebbiolo. Croatina gives deeply colored, fairly tannic wines with tea-leaf and red berry notes; Vespolina is medium to dark red in color, and shows very distinctive bright berry and herbal notes. Ian d’Agata describes Vespolina as ‘one of Italy’s best grape varieties,’ high praise from this expert. Vespolina has great promise as a varietal wine in its own right. Cristiano says that he does blending trials of these wines with and without the Vespolina and Croatina, and always prefers the traditional blend. This Bramaterra is a bottling of only the best barrels from their vineyard."  

Alcohol: 13.5% 

*Price and availability in store may vary. Vintage date may differ than pictured.