Gattinara Mauro Franchino 2020

Austere, noble and profound, at times shy and reserved, Mauro Franchino's Gattinara seems to reflect the personality of its producer, an authentic winemaker from northern Piedmont, a man from another era who has been cultivating three hectares of vineyards for decades and producing small quantities of wine, far from the spotlight and known only to a few enthusiasts. It reflects the traditionalist style of northern Piedmont without losing any of the warm, soft roundness of the international styles. Tension, tannin, minerality and freshness stir a powerful and vigorous structure, giving it momentum and dynamism and creating a satisfying, deep and three-dimensional sip.

Franchino's Gattinara is made in small quantities from Nebbiolo grapes grown in less than 3 hectares of vineyards. In a small winery in the center of the town of Gattinara, carved out of an old building, it ferments in concrete tanks, where it rests for about 12 months, and matures slowly for at least 36 months in large 25-hectoliter oak barrels. At the end of the production process, the bottles are filled and corked with a manual bottling machine and, once released, can still rest for many years to reach their perfect maturity. In fact, its tannic component and vibrant freshness can make this red wine very long-lived.

In Mauro Franchino's Gattinara, the nobility of Nebbiolo is cloaked in an aura of ancient charm, blowing in from a distant past, dragging autumn leaves with it. The typical elegant fragrant nuances of violets, wilted red flowers and small jammy fruits coexist with earthy hints of dried leaves, underbrush, roots, humus, coffee and licorice. It does not deny its rural origins on the palate either, giving a robust and structured sip, very tasty and persistent, with great flavor and vibrant freshness, together with pleasant and expressive mineral hints. Its austere and introverted character requires patience and attention at times, but it is a commitment that eventually succeeds in gratifying the senses.