3 Italian Producers You Should Know
We are going to start using this blog to write quick snippets about some of our favorite producers. That way if you’re ever in search of something fun (or something special), you know where to start looking.
Today we have two producers from the Piedmont (northern Italy) and one from Tuscany (north central Italy). These are some of the most beautiful places on earth and they also happen to produce some of the world’s greatest wines. Coincidence? Maybe. Without further ado…
G.B. BURLOTTO - The Lifted and Aromatic End of Barolo
These are textured and complex wines that can only be described as benchmark Barolo—especially the Cannubi which we are happy to offer with some regularity.
Since the 1890s the estate has been supplying incredible wines to thirsty royalty (officially to the house of Savoy) and to wine lovers in the know. GB’s great-great grandson Fabio Alessandria has the reigns and has been turning out brilliant traditional Barolos.
A little more on the wine that comes from the Cannubi vineyard, which is one of those vineyards that has a beautiful blend of microclimate, soils, and a longstanding history of producing quality Nebbiolo. The wines are more approachable in youth than some other Barolo sites but can age for a very long time.
This 2021 has gotten a rare 100 point review from Antonio Galloni at Vinous who writes: "Dense and powerful right out of the gate. Broad, ample, and explosive, the 2021 has it all. Time in the glass brings out the wine's aromatic presence. Readers will find a Barolo of tremendous structure and pedigree. Blue-toned fruit, leather, licorice, incense and dried flowers are all amplified to the maximum. Magnificent."
CAPPELLANO - Five Generations of Delicious Wine
Augosto Cappellano is the fifth generation of Cappellanos to make wine from Serralunga d’Alba. Possibly most famous for their Chinato (a spiced fortified wine that is based on Barolo), they also produce excellent and highly sought after traditional Piedmont wines. Along with Podere Le Boncie and Paolo Bea (among others) they are in a group called Vini Veri, a group of producers who share an ethic about viticulture and viniculture that is as much philosophical as it is about organic farming.
See what’s in stock here.
SOLDERA - Tuscan Holy Grail
Soldera is an Italian wine lover’s holy grail. Year in and year out these wines are snapped up by collectors greedy to get their hands on transcendent Brunellos. This is even more impressive because he won’t sell directly to collectors or importers that don’t meet his rigorous philosophical requirements—so when bottles show up people get excited.
Gianfranco Soldera founded the estate in 1972 after a career as an insurance broker in Milan, and while this might not sound auspicious, he has become one of the most legendary winemakers in Tuscany. He has a unique approach to vineyard management that is supplemented by his wife, a passionate botanist, and has created an oasis for all the plants on his estate which boasts a botanical park that is habitat for insects which act as a natural defense for the grapes. This means he doesn’t need to use chemicals or pesticides and when combined with his unique methods for restricting yields (winter short pruning, green pruning in the summer, dropping fruit, and leaf stripping) he can produce incredible grapes even in years where other producers struggle.
He eschews barriques for five years aging in large Slavonian oak vats because all of his idols are long-gone traditional producers that did just that. The wines are incredibly rich, complex, and aromatic while still being classic. These are the elite of the elite. See what’s in stock here.
