Vineyards
Our wines come from the hills formed on the fossil rocks of the Supervulcano of the Sesia, at the foot of Monte Rosa. Rather warm summers and accentuated
temperature changes, favor a microclimate suitable to preserve and enhance the organoleptic characteristics of the Nebbiolo. The history of the hills of Gattinara began 300 million years ago when the only continent (Pangea) was dotted with volcanoes. In what is now the area of the Valsesia, an immense eruption formed a 15 km diameter volcano. When Africa broke away from South America colliding with Europe, the Alps arose, and in the area that includes the Valsesia, a withdrawal of the Earth’s crust was created and the deepest parts of the crust went up at the Insubric line. Thanks to this process we can now observe what was the earth’s crust under the volcano, to a depth of about 25 km: you can see it along the Valsesia, from Balmuccia to Gattinara, a unique situation in the world. In soils with unique characteristics Nebbiolo is giving one of its best and most
unique expressions.
Wines
From 1990 the Gattinara is a wine with “Denomination of Controlled and Guaranteed Origin” (D.O.C.G.), whose specifications say that the wine must be composed by Nebbiolo grapes for a minimum of 90%, Vespolina and Uva Rara for the remainder. The bunch of the Nebbiolo is average size, with elongated pyramidal shape, while berries grape are quite small and almost elliptical, with dark purple skin, covered with a pale patina – the bloom – similar to a mist, from which perhaps the name “Nebbiolo” (“nebbia” is the Italian word for mist, haze). Another theory says that the name comes from the haze, that at the sunrise caresses the hillsides in early October, when the harvest of the Nebbiolo is in full swing. From this grape, in Gattinara, we obtain wines of a great structure and longevity, renowned throughout the world.
