Gattinara Riserva, San Francesco, Antoniolo - 2016

Located in the north-east of Piedmont, the Gattinara appellation was once as famous as Barbaresco and Barolo, before seeing its prestige eclipsed by the wines of the Langhe in the 1990s. But in 2010, this legendary vineyard is back in the spotlight, as one of its wines is voted Wine of the Year by the Gambero Rosso guide: Gattinara Osso San Grato 2005 from Azienda Agricola Antoniolo.Founded in 1948 by Mario Antoniolo, the estate is now run by his grandchildren, Lorella and Alberto. But its reputation owes much to Rosanna Antoniolo, their mother, who did a great deal to promote her wines around the world. The estate now covers 12 hectares, most of which are planted with nebbiolo. The vineyard is cultivated organically, with a lot of work done in the vines throughout the year in order to aim for low yields and the best ripeness.The cellar is the kingdom of Alberto Antoniolo, a discreet and infinitely demanding man. A lover of perfection, he sacrifices nothing for the highest quality and personally oversees all the winemaking and maturing work in order to fine-tune the wines as precisely as possible, with love.This estate is to Gattinara what Chave is to the Hermitage. An immutable beacon of quality, which has always defended the appellation and the exceptional potential of its best wines to stand the test of time.