Travaglini Gattinara

Gattinara DOCG

Gattinara is a red Italian wine with Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) status produced from Nebbiolo grapes grown within the boundaries of the commune of Gattinara which is located in the hills in the north of the province of Vercelli, northwest of Novara in the Piedmont region. It was awarded DOC status in 1967 and received its DOCG classification in 1990.

Wines-The wine is made primarily from the Nebbiolo grape variety (known locally as Spanna) which must constitute a minimum 90% of the wine and may be blended with up to 10% Bonarda di Gattinara and no more than 4% of Vespolina. The wine is aged in oak barrels for 1 year or two years if it is a riserva, with an additional two years of ageing in the bottle. The Oxford Companion to Wine asserts that wine from Vercelli hills on the west bank of the Sesia river and Novara hills are capable of producing rivals to Barolo and Barbaresco, and has at times in Piedmontese history been more admired than Barolo for its longevity.

Nebbiolo is considered one of the great wine varieties, bigger, darker and more tannic, even bitter, than most types, but consequently long-lived and prized by collectors. Jealously guarded in its native Italian home and most famous appellation of Piedmont, very few nebbiolo cuttings and clones have been exported to other countries.

The name nebbiolo has two probable origins. Ripe nebbiolo grapes have a very prominent "bloom" that gives them a "foggy" or "frosted" look, so the name could come from from "nebbia", Italian for "fog". It is an alternative possibility that the name simply comes from "nobile", Italian for "noble". Nebbiolo also goes by the names Spanna, Picutener and Chiavennasca in various Italian districts.

Nebbiolo is one of the more problematic grapes for both vineyardists and winemakers. It is very sensitive to both soil and geography and can yield wines that vary widely in body, tannin and acidity, as well as aroma and flavor complexity, when grown in only slightly different locales. A very late-season ripener, the vines need the best exposures, especially in cooler climates, in order to reach maturity. It performs much better in calcareous rather than sandy soils. Nebbiolo grape skins are thin, but quite tough and fairly resistant to molds and pests.

Some winemakers feel that nebbiolo is even more difficult to work with than pinot noir. It can be changeable, moody and unpredictable while undergoing typical cellar and aging procedures.

Nebbiolo Profile

• Growing Regions: Piedmont
• Bouquet and Flavor Profile: Earth, tar, raspberry, roses, violets, blackberry, wild cherry, plum, truffles
• Acidity: High
• Body: Medium
• Food Pairings: Venison, Beef Wellington, lamb, ribs, cheddar cheese

Travaglini Winery

The Travaglini winegrowing company, based in the heart of the hills of the Gattinara region, has 55 ha used for wine production.

There are 39 ha currently planted with vines and the rest is pending plantation. Both the “GATTINARA DOCG”, a highly structured wine for ageing, and a small part of the young wine known as “CINZIA”, are produced from the Nebbiolo grape variety (known locally as “Spanna”).

This is a family-run company and the experience and passion for quality has been passed on from Arturo Travaglini, who was already producing Gattinara way back in 1958, to his son Giancarlo. Nowadays the company is run by Giancarlo’s wife Liliana, his daughters Cristina and Cinzia and his son-in-law Massimo.

Tasting notes

A deep pomegranate red wine with delicate fragrances of violet and rose on the nose. The palate is mouth filling with red-fruit flavors of raspberry and cherry and hints of licorice and vanilla. Full-bodied with soft, silky tannins, the wine has a long, smooth finish. Total maturation time is 3 years.

Wine maker notes

Following traditional red fermentation, the wine is aged for one year in French oak barriques, followed by 18 months in Slovenian oak casks and six months in bottle.

Harvest Notes

WINTER - SPRING

A relatively mild winter with limited precipitation was followed by a spring season marked by cool temperatures and good rainfall.

JULY - AUGUST

We had the typical Piedmont summer with blue skies and little rain. In September we had strong thermal excursions between night and day which encouraged the accumulation of sugar for the maturation of grapes.

HARVEST:

We started the harvest on September 30th in fact this year the maturation of grapes was earlier than usually. Then we had to stop for some days because of the rain. Luckily the rain did not damage the grapes since they were healthy with a strong skin. After few days we continued the harvest and we finished on October 15. We had sunny and warm days and the grapes were sound and very good ripeness. Yields are about 8% lower then in 2004 but the quality is really good.