A fine vintage, and a new hand
Alberto has done well! That was the first thought that flashed through my mind when I tasted 2018 Mauro Franchino Gattinara. He had a tough act to follow. With more than 50 vintages of Spanna (the local name for Nebbiolo) under his belt, his uncle Mauro had finally hung up the secateurs. Until Alberto stepped up, it wasn't even clear this tiny gem of a cantina had a future.
Gattinara is tucked in the hills between Turin and Milan, in the Sesia Valley, down the road from Lake Orta. In the nineteenth century it was famous for its Nebbiolo. These days, of course, Gattinara has gotten a little sidelined, while Barolo and Barbaresco (90km to the south) are better known. But there is a clear stylistic difference: slightly lighter-bodied Gattinara relies less on sheer power, and more on perfume and elegance. Yet with tangy acidity and sometimes formidable tannins, the wines of Gattinara have a long capacity to age.
Mauro still keeps a benevolent eye on what Alberto is up to. When Uncorked visited in 2018, Alberto and Mauro were comfortably side-by-side in the winery; this feels like a very seamless transition. The 2018 is lovely. There's a delightful floral perfume that mingles with the cherry, plum and herb notes, and a grippy, sappy finish. This is mountain Nebbiolo at its best: the warm vintage suits a northern wine. And is Alberto planning on changing the name of the winery? Yes, he jokes, just as soon as he has more vintages under his belt than his uncle. /NT
Offered subject to remaining unsold; available imminently
