My Personal Recommendation For YouGiovanni Rosso Nebbiolo (Langhe) 2011 Piedmont; Italy $23.99

90pts Wine Spectator / 90pts Antonio Galloni

The Langhe (“lahn-gay”), a hilly area in the Piedmont zone of northern Italy, is famous for its cheeses, truffles — and its wines!

To that end, welcome to Giovanni Rosso, a small, family-owned wine producer in the heart of the Barolo commune of Serralunga d'Alba, where they make only red wines, and all from one varietal, Nebbiolo. Ampelographers (those in the field of the identification and classification of grapevines) believe that Nebbiolo is strictly indigenous to the Piedmont wine zone, where aside from being labeled with its varietal name, it can also carry any one of the other regional names (Barolo, Barbaresco, Gattinara, Ghemme, and Spanna). Interestingly, its name is thought to derive from the Italian word nebbia which means “fog”. During harvest, which usually takes place late in October, a deep, intense fog sets into the Langhe region where many Nebbiolo vineyards are located (pictured).

But unlike

those other regional, more tannic Nebbiolo-based wines, “Langhe-level” Nebbiolos – such as this one – are fashioned for earlier consumption simply because they don’t undergo the same extended skins-to-juice contact period nor the same lengthy aging in barrels.

At the helm of this suave wine is Giovanni's son, Davide Rosso, who studied Oenology and gained invaluable experience while working at wineries in Southern France. Then in 2001, at a young 27 years of age, he took complete charge of the winemaking with one goal in mind: "Wine should be a perfect copy of its terroir", and in this case, from the slopes of Italy’s finest wine region!

In terms of viticulture, the family farms as organically as possible, using no artificial chemical treatments such as fertilizers, insecticides or weed-killers. Harvesting is 100% manual, as is pruning and tilling of the soil beneath the vines. “Green harvesting is carried out as necessary and we allow plant growth between the rows of vines to encourage soil health and diversity in the vineyards.”

Winemaker’s notes:

“Harvested by hand; vinification in cement tanks with ambient yeasts; fermentation over 25 - 28 days with daily punching-down of the cap; elevage took place in large Fontainebleau Forest French oak casks for several months. the wine was bottled without filtration; Concentrated, bright Garnet. Aromas of violet

and rose, with red fruit characteristics.”

Reviews:

“A graphite aroma leads to cherry, raspberry, tobacco and sweet spice flavors in this red. Dense yet integrated, with a moderately long finish. A fine mineral element lingers. Drink now through 2018. 300 cases imported.” – 90 pts. Bruce Sanderson/Wine Spectator (December 15, 2013).

“The 2011 Langhe Nebbiolo is a delicious wine to drink now and over the next few years. Fresh, floral and nicely layered, the 2011 impresses for its balance and class. Sweet red berries, mint and licorice linger on the perfumed finish. In a year in which so many wines are quite big, Rosso's Langhe Nebbiolo stands out for its freshness and lift. This is a terrific showing from Davide Rosso.” – 90 pts. Antonio Galloni

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