Indigenous Selections Italian Wine tasting with Special Guest Giorgio Rivetti

"Once, during Prohibition, I was forced to live for days on nothing but food and water."
~ W. C. Fields

We are very excited about having our good friends from Indigenous selections here next week.  We did a very special dinner last year with Giorgio on a Monday night - I will only work on Monday night for a few people and Giorgio Rivetti is one of them and we drank several old bottles of La Spinetta from my cellar including a few that I got in the Piedmont when visiting Rivetti.

We have been on board with these wines from the very beginning and I still have a few bottles of the 1996 Gallina Barbaresco in my stash which is the first vintage he started the Barbaresco project.  I think I also have a bottle of the 2000 campe Barolo which is the first vintage of this wine which scored (98 points) in the Wine Spectator.  These are for another “Once in a Lifetime” tasting with Giorgio but tonight we wanted to show the wines to more people as I only have a single bottle of many of these older bottles from La Spinetta. Keep an eye out for these special events on out calendar of events we have “Once in a Lifetime” tastings on a monthly basis here at the Wine Watch.

Everything that Giorgio touches has turned to gold and we are happy to also have Roberto Damonte here from Malvira, which is also one of the shining stars of the Piedmont and although Arneis is only a white wine this producer is the best producer of this varietal and a good drinking buddy of Giorgio's.  And we will be sampling close to 20 wines this evening with these two legends of the Piedmont.  Wine Watch Catering’s Toni Lampasone will be making a few tasty treats to accompany the tasting wines and we have room for at least 50 people this evening as this will be a walk around tasting in the courtyard here at Progresso Plaza. 

Many of you know that this is the home of the Wine Watch but it is also Giorgio’s home office for his US import company Indigenous Selections, they moved in a year or so ago so we are now neighbors! 

The fee for this tasting is $45 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463

La Spinetta and Malvira Tasting at Wine Watch
with Special Guests Giorgio Rivetti & Roberto Damonte
Wednesday January 30th
7pm

Tasting Line-Up:

Contratto Millesimato 2007
Price: $36.00       Sale $31.68          Case $367

 This is the Rivetti's newest project, Giorgio has always been a big fan if great Champagne and sparkling wine and there is great potential for Sparkling wine in the Piedmont, Contratto was founded in 1867 by Giuseppe Contratto and the winery is known as the oldest producer of sparkling wine in Italy. So this was a natural choice for them when the estate became available. The Millesimato Brut is 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay. The wine spends almost four years on the yeasts before disgorgement and is finished with a dosage of 5g/l. This wine has a nice developed bouquet of almond, white flowers, pear and apple fruit on the nose. A smooth and creamy mouse on the tongue with layers of flavors on the finish and nice freshness with good minerality showing through the finish. Finish 40 Excellent

Malvira Roero Arneis 2010
Price: $18.00       Sale $15.84          Case $184

They also produce three single vineyard Arneis, this is a blend of five different vineyard sites, this wine has a fresh nose green apple lemon citrus, white flowers and some of that chalky mineral nuance showing on the nose, very clean and polished bouquet of aromas. They do the vinification in a reductive way similar to the folks in New Zealand, very rich on the palate in terms of fruit concentration but very precise in the minerality and excellent length on the mineral laced finish with lots of nuance and good length the fruit echoing through the finish with bright freshness and a slight spritz on the finish. Finish 40 Excellent

Malvira Birbet Brachetto Roero NV
Price: $23.00       Sale $20.24          Case $235

Birbet is the name for the production of Brachetto Longo a very different grape than the Brachetto found elsewhere in the Piedmont similar in aromas to Moscato. Very pretty bouquet of red cherry and peach like fruit on the nose almost like a sangria with pretty floral notes and some of that Piedmont terroir and spice showing here as well. only 5% Alcohol and 12% residual sugar making this wine fairly sweet on the tongue but finishes with nice balance and the effervescence and the acidity here make things fresh and dry on the finish. Finish 35 Excellent

Malvira Favorita 2010
Price: $19.00       Sale $16.72          Case $194

The same grape as Rolle, Vermentino and Favorita are all the same varietal has a touch of rosemary and fresh bailed hay to the pear and lemon citrus fruit on the nose also the aromas remind me of beer a little.  Fresh and clean with a note of those herbs on the nose showing through on the finish along with a light chalky mineral notes very clean and refreshing makes the tongue salivating for food.  Finish 35+              Very Good

Malvira Roero Nebbiolo 2007
Price: $27.00       Sale $23.76          Case $276

Stays a little time in old French oak, 18-24 months with 3-5weeks of maceration, this wine is made from Trinita and Mombeltramo Vineyards, lots of sandy soils because all of this area was under water, very elegant wines, pretty nose of red cherry and red licorice spice with rose petal floral aromas.  Very fine and elegant on the palate silky smooth very fine tannins with pretty floral and spice notes with excellent structure, even though this wine is appealing now it will age for a decade or more in your cellar.  Finish 40+              Excellent

La Spinetta Toscana Vermentino 2011
Price: $21.00       Sale $18.48          Case $215

Vermentino is the typical white wine of Tuscany so this was a natural choice for a white wine and it does well in the south where their vineyard is located. A fresh floral character to the green apple and white grapefruit citrus fruit along with a light gravelly mineral note. A light and refreshing wine on the tongue with a light ginger spice and floral notes showing on the finish. Finish 35 Very good

La Spinetta Chianti Riserva 2007
Price: $30.75       Sale $27.06          Case $314

SW corner of Chianti a mixture of fruit from both Sezzana and Sassontino fruit but with different barrel regime larger and aged for two years. Some pretty floral notes red cherry berry fruit and a red licorice spice with some fresh herbs here also. A nice amount of light red berry fruit on the tongue with a good amount of floral highlights and some fresh earth but the focus here is on that pretty floral nuance and the light red berry fruit. Finish 35+ Very Good +

La Spinetta Il Colorino di Casanova 2008
Price: $29.00       Sale $25.52          Case $296

(90 Points) The 2008 Il Colorino di Casanova comes across as quite rich and dark in its wild cherries, tobacco, smoke and worn-in leather. This shows excellent balance in a brooding, yet mid-weight style. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2016.

La Spinetta Sezzana 2004
Price: $56.00       Sale $49.28          Case $572

(89 Points)  The 2004 Sezzana is a full-bodied, intense offering loaded with super-ripe dark fruit, menthol and toasted oak. There is a subtle note of greenness that lurks in the wine, and the tannins are unusually firm within the context of the vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2019.

Giorgio Rivetti’s Tuscan wines continue to show improvement. Interestingly, Rivetti prefers medium-sized barrels for his Tuscan wines as he found the smaller 225-liter barrels didn’t allow his Sangiovese-based wines to express the full breadth of their qualities.  Wine Advocate #177, Jun 2008

La Spinetta Barbera Ca di Pian 2008
Price: $28.25       Sale $24.86          Case $289

(90 Points) Black currant and bilberry fruit signals this fresh, vivid Barbera. It has light tannins, but overall shows balance and harmony. Lingering finish. Drink now through 2015." Wine Spectator

La Spinetta Langhe Nebbiolo 2009
Price: $33.00       Sale $29.04          Case $337

(91 Points)  La Spinetta’s 2009 Langhe Nebbiolo (from young vines in Starderi) is gorgeous in this vintage. Sweet raspberries, flowers, mint and herbs swirl around in the glass, until the firm Nebbiolo tannins catch up to support the powerful finish. Once again, the Langhe Nebbiolo here over delivers for the money. It is easily the equal of many Barbarescos in this vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2021.   Wine Advocate #203, Oct 2012

La Spinetta PIN 2009
Price: $60.00       Sale $52.80          Case $612

(90 Points) The 2009 Monferrato Rosso Pin comes across as slightly understated in this vintage, which is surprising, considering how structured the rest of the wines are in this lineup. A sweet, open bouquet leads to expressive ripe red berry fruit. Overall, this is fairly straightforward Pin with good balance but not the personality of the best wines. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2017.   Wine Advocate #203, Oct 2012

La Spinetta Barbaresco Bordini 2008
Price: $60.00       Sale $52.80          Case $612

(88 Points) The 2008 Barbaresco Vigneto Bordini is an attractive, relatively accessible Barbaresco laced with super-ripe red cherries, flowers and sweet spices. It shows good balance and an inviting personality, if not quite the pedigree of the 2007. The fruit dries out just a bit on the finish, exposing slight elements of dryness on the tannin. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2018.

This is a superb set of wines from Giorgio Rivetti. The 2008 Barbareschi are among the strongest wines of the year, while the 2007 Barolo Campe is the best wine to emerge from Rivetti’s vineyards in Grinzane Cavour. The La Spinetta style focusing on wines of great textural richness remains intact, but is dialed in to a greater degree with each passing vintage.  Wine Advocate #197, Oct 2011

La Spinetta Barbaresco Starderi 2008
Price: $165.00    Sale $145.20       Case $1122

(93+ Points) The 2008 Barbaresco Vigneto Starderi is the biggest, most powerful and also most complete of the 2008 Barbarescos here, but it will require considerable patience. Huge, massive tannins provide the backdrop to a core of expressive dark fruit, flowers, mint and licorice. This is a virile Barbaresco with plenty of stuffing to age well, but it needs time for the tannins to soften. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2026.   Wine Advocate #197, Oct 2011

La Spinetta Barolo Campe 2007
Price: $177.00    Sale $155.76       Case $1805

(95 Points) There is no doubt the 2007 Barolo Campe is impressive. It is a beautifully balanced wine layered with opulent, super-ripe fruit, new leather and licorice. The French oak is beautifully balanced in this broad-shouldered Barolo, while the fruit avoids the overripe tendencies of the past. The wine holds up perfectly in the glass, which hasn’t always been the case. Tar, licorice and spices wrap around the intense finish. This is the finest vintage of Campe to date. Kudos to Giorgio Rivetti and his team for this fabulous effort. To be released in 2012. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2024. Wine Advocate #197, Oct 2011

La Spinetta Moscato Biancospino 2012
Price: $21                             Sale $18.48          Case $214

Very fresh with a hint of mandarin orange, a wine that is surprisingly good with fresh peach and pear fruit slightly sweet and slightly frizzante with pretty floral notes through the finish.  Finish 35+  Very Good +

Menu:

Duck Confit, smoked mozzarella spring rolls with sundried tomato aioli

Kobe beef meatball glazed in sweet soy BBQ

Wild mushroom flatbread with lemon zest infused mascarpone and fresh basil

Anchovy crostini finished with roasted red bell pepper and fresh herbs

Selection of Cheese

The fee for this tasting is $45 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463.

Other La Spinetta Wines Available:

2007 La Spinetta Barbera D'Asti 375ml
List Price: $15.00               Sale  $13.20
Quantity in Stock: 5

(89 Points) The 2007 Barbera d’Asti Ca’ di Pian offers up plums, dark cherries, herbs and flowers on a rich, mid-weight frame, revealing plenty of length and fine overall balance. The bright, focused acidity of Barbera from Asti comes through on the finish, and the wine is best enjoyed at the dinner table. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2015. This is a highly successful set of new releases from La Spinetta. The wines show great balance and class across the board. Wine Advocate # 187, Feb 2010

2006 la Spinetta barolo vignetto garretti
List Price: $55.00               Sale  $48.40
Quantity in Stock: 2

Flavors of macerated cherry and medicinal herbs, with a hint of orange peel, mark this dense, sinewy red, which is light, elegant and lively, with a firm backbone of tannins. Be patient. Best from 2014 through 2027. 650 cases made. –BS Wine searcher Nov 15, 2011

2004 La Spinetta Barbaresco Gallina
List Price: $122.50             Sale  $107.80
Quantity in Stock: 5

Wine Watch Review:  Green tea and dried rose petal notes and red cherry liqueur like fruit on the nose with red plum and exotic spices, very complex bouquet of aromas. Lovely silky sexy texture on the tongue with an array of spice and firm tannins but ripe and classic style of Barbaresco fresh acidity and zesty finish. Finish 45+ MOST EXCELLENT +

 
2005 La Spinetta Barbaresco Gallina
List Price: $120.00             Sale  $105.60
Quantity in Stock: 8

(92 Points) The 2005 Barbaresco Gallina is an especially successful wine in this vintage. A soft, caressing core of fruit provides striking balance to the wine’s tannins. Notes of super-ripe red cherries, sweet herbs, roses and toasted oak emerge from this medium-bodied Barbaresco. As is usually the case, the Gallina is the most forward of the Spinetta Barbarescos, and this is a beautiful effort, particularly in this vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2020.

Giorgio Rivetti has another set of very solid wines on his hands with his 2005 Barbarescos. The wines have always shown terrific balance and are just a notch or two below his 2004s. Wine Advocate # 179 Oct 2008

2006 La Spinetta Barbaresco Gallina
List Price: $140.75             Sale  $123.86
Quantity in Stock: 8

(93 Points) A fabulous nose of Christmas pudding, plum and lemongrass leads to a full body, with soft, silky tannins and beautiful fruit. Best after 2012. 960 cases made. -JS Wine Spectator Issue: Sep 30, 2009

2006 La Spinetta Barbaresco Starderi
List Price: $140.75             Sale  $123.86
Quantity in Stock: 5

(93 Points) Wonderfully floral, with cream and berry aromas. Full-bodied, with round, chewy tannins and lots of fruit. Generous and rich for the vintage. Best after 2012. 1,200 cases made. -JS Wine Spectator Issue: Sep 30, 2009

2007 La Spinetta Barbaresco Starderi
List Price: $149.25             Sale  $131.34
Quantity in Stock: 6

(94 points) The 2007 Barbaresco Vigneto Starderi bursts from the glass with red berries, sweet spices, roses and mint, all of which come together on a powerful, richly structured frame that is the hallmark of Barbareschi from Neive. The Starderi is the most tannic of the estate’s 2007s but it is a wine with significant promise and a long road ahead of very fine drinking. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2027. Wine Advocate #192 Dec 2010

2005 La Spinetta Barbaresco Valeirano
List Price: $120.00             Sale  $105.60
Quantity in Stock: 9

(93 Points) The 2005 Barbaresco Vigneto Valeirano opens with a huge, brooding nose of smoke, tar, and scorched earth. This massive, building wine changes constantly in the glass, as black cherries, wild herbs, menthol and licorice gradually take center stage. Despite its large-scaled personality, the wine possesses tons of harmony. Sweet notes of menthol and tar linger on the long finish. This explosive Barbaresco is impressive for the way it marries power to elegance in 2005. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2022.

Giorgio Rivetti has another set of very solid wines on his hands with his 2005 Barbarescos. The wines have always shown terrific balance and are just a notch or two below his 2004s. Wine Advocate # 179 Oct 2008

2006 La Spinetta Barbaresco Valeirano
List Price: $140.75             Sale  $123.86
Quantity in Stock: 10

(91 Points) The 2006 Barbaresco Vigneto Valeirano is another exuberant wine. Here, too, the aromatics literally jump out of the glass, as layers of perfumed super-ripe fruit are intermingled with a persistent vein of minerality. The powerful, focused Valeirano offers outstanding balance, but needs a few years in bottle for the tannins to melt away. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2021. Wine Advocate # 185, Oct 2009

 
2001 La Spinetta Barolo Campe Riserva Magnum
List Price: $287.50             Sale  $253.00
Quantity in Stock: 2

(93) A rich and decadent wine with plum, berry and grilled meat on the nose. Full-bodied, with big chewy tannins and a velvety texture. Long and rich. A beauty. Best after 2008. 2,665 cases made. -JS Wine Spectator Buying Guide 10/15/05

2003 La Spinetta Barolo Campe
List Price: $126.75             Sale  $111.54
Quantity in Stock: 9

Wine Watch Review:  Red licorice and exotic spices, red cherry liqueur and tar mineral notes to the fresh red cherry liqueur and lots of licorice spice, a complex array of aromas. Big and chewy on the tongue with an amazing array of spice and floral notes with notes of tar and fresh plowed earth and excellent length and complexity through the finish. Finish 50 KILLER !

2004 La Spinetta Sassontino Tuscany
List Price: $45.25               Sale  $39.82
Quantity in Stock: 3

Wine Watch Review:  Big wood 500 tonneux 95 % Sangiovese 5% Collorino Sand similar to Roero. More classic in style with fine herbs and green grassy notes to the black cherry and sandy loam minerality. Excellent freshness on the palate with a good amount of fresh acidity and lots of red and black cherry fruit. Finish 40 EXCELLENT

 
2006 La Spinetta Il Colorino
List Price: $27.50               Sale  $24.20
Quantity in Stock: 3

The 2006 Il Colorino di Casanova is a rock-star wine, especially for the money. Vibrant dark fruit, minerals, rosemary, menthol and spices are just some of the nuances that flow from this powerful, authoritative red. The harmony of the fruit and the overall balance are simply exceptional from start to finish. This is another fabulous wine from proprietor Giorgio Rivetti’s Tuscan property near Pisa. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2018. Wine Advocate #191, Oct 2010 Antonio Galloni

2010 La Spinetta Toscana Vermentino
List Price: $22.00               Sale  $19.36
Quantity in Stock: 3

Vermentino is the typical white wine of Tuscany so this was a natural choice for a white wine and it does well in the south where their vineyard is located. A fresh floral character to the green apple and white grapefruit citrus fruit along with a light gravelly mineral note. A light and refreshing wine on the tongue with a light ginger spice and floral notes showing on the finish. Finish 35 Very good

A bit about La Spinetta Winery:

Located a tad north of Barbaresco towards Asti is the "modest" facility of the Rivetti family.   When we first became acquainted with Giorgio Rivetti, he was regarded as an up-and-coming producer of fizzy Moscato d'Asti wines.  Ask anyone in the Langhe who's making top Moscato wines and they'd always have Rivetti on their short list of producers.   Move on to the 1990s and then things changed.  Oh, Rivetti still makes some of Piemonte's best fizzy Moscato wines (Biancospino, Bricco Quaglia, Bric Lapasot, San Rumu and Muscatel Vej).  If you see them while traveling around Italy, don't hesitate to order these after dinner as they are really "fun" wines.

La Spinetta makes 3 single vineyard Barbarescos; Gallina, Valeirano, and Starderi, all are very unique despite being from vineyards not very far from each other.  All three are 100% Nebbiolo as dictated by DOCG laws and all spend a minimum of 18 months in oak and one year in bottle.  The Gallina and Starderi are single crus in Neive and Valeirano is a single cru from Treiso.  The Gallina (green label) tends to be the softest and most elegant of the three.  The Valeirano (blue label) is more tannic and aggressive with a very impressive structure.  In blind tastings, the Valeirano is often thought to be a Barolo from Serralunga d’Alba.  The Starderi (pink label) is tannic with unimaginable complexity and layers upon layers of fruit.  The 2001 vintage in the Piedmont is the last in a string of seven outstanding vintages, each of them different but nonetheless producing very high quality wine.  The 2001’s have a bit more structure and depth than the highly touted 2000’s which tend to be very forward and approachable wines.

This is the first release of La Spinetta’s Barolo from the Campe vineyard in Grinzane Cavour.  Even though Grinzane Cavour offers one of the greatest terroirs of the Barolo region, given its exposure to the south and its microclimate, it has never been capable of producing world class Barolos.  Giorgio feels certain that this is because no producer has been able to interpret this land as it should be interpreted.  He is confident that he will be able to make Barolo from the Campe vineyard that will rightly pay tribute to its incredible terrior.  He compares it to what Elio Altare faced with his Arborina vineyard, a previously unknown area of production for Barolo that today thanks to Altare is one of the greatest crus of Barolo.  Giorgio is very enthusiastic about meeting this challenge and by the looks of it; he may very well have done so.  I had an opportunity to have dinner at this property when I was in Italy in April.  This is one of the best Barolo’s that I have ever tasted and is quite drinkable even at this young age, the 2003 wine in Barrel was equally as impressive- this will quickly become one of the most sought after wines made in Barolo.  This wine is KILLER!

This is one of the first blends of its type from the Piedmont, Nebbiolo, Barbera and Cabernet Sauvignon make up the blend with Cabernet Sauvignon making up less and less of the total, this wine is only 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.  Giorgio may eventually take this foreign varietal out of this wine completely as he has pointed out, the Piedmont is better suited to its native varietals.  Just a few short years ago producers in the Piedmont were planting Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and other popular varietals because it was fashionable at that time.  Today it is fashionable to make wines from varietals that are indigenous to the area and there is nothing like Nebbiolo from the Peidmont found anywhere on the planet, so why plant Cabernet Sauvignon which is suitable to grow in many areas all over the world.  This wine is more international in style, a good amount of toasty oak and cassis berry fruit, and it is the most drinkable of all the wines except the Ca di Pian upon release.

Although La Spinetta focuses on native varieties such as Nebbiolo, Barbera, and Moscato, it does produce a Sauvignon Blanc and a Chardonnay.  Giorgio assures that because these international varieties are planted in such small quantities, their production does not distract from the estate’s attention and passion towards the local varieties.  The Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay are made in a lean old world style.  They show strong terroir characteristics and pronounced fruit.  La Spinetta’s Bianco is 100% Sauvignon Blanc.  The vines are grown at a very hi-altitude that leads to crispness, freshness and a wonderful perfume in the glass.  This Sauvignon Blanc is very Loire like in style with good minerality and a strong sense of terroir.  In a blind tasting with Daganau’s Pur Sang, La Spinetta’s Bianco proved to by a far more complex and interesting wine.  The wine is 50% barrel fermented and 50 % stainless steel fermented.  La Spinetta’s Chardonnay is called Lidia, in memory of Giorgio’s mother.  It is 100% barrel fermented Chardonnay.  It spends a year in oak followed by approximately 6 months in stainless steel.  It is a rich and full-bodied wine with an elegance and complexity. 

In 2001, La Spinetta acquired 65 hectares of vineyards in Tuscany to make three different Sangiovese based wines, and so the Rivetti horizon continues to expand. La Spinetta’s newest project lies in Tuscany in the village of Terricciola between Pisa and Volterra.  Here they make their Sezzana, a 95% Sangiovese from Casciana Terme, as Sangiovese is the ambassador of the Tuscan terrain. The remaining 5% are Colorino, another Tuscan indigenous grape variety, that gives a dark ruby red color to the wine. From the 65 hectare of vineyards we also make another 95% Sangiovese single vineyard wine, called Sassontino. These Sangiovese grapes grow near Casanova, Terriciola. The first vintage of Sassontino was 2003, released in 2006.

The newest thing is the acquisition of the Contratto winery in the Piedmont which means that the Rivetti's now own a premier Sparkling wine label.  Although they did make other wines in addition to methode champenoise sparkling wines at Contratto in the past they are focusing solely on the sparkling wines under this label now.