Beautiful, straightforward, well-balanced Nebbiolo offering a lot of typicity. The color is a gorgeous, bright blood orange. Tar and roses waft out of the glass, and the juicy, red-fruited palate is nicely accentuated by orange peel, licorice, black tea and spice. Tannins are smooth and well integrated finishing with a pleasant grip. Elevated acidity leaves the back of the jaw a bit taut, making this a perfect food wine. Nicely mature today, but has the structure for further aging. While it doesn’t offer the depth of a top-end Barolo, that’s not why you open Gattinara, and this wine doesn’t disappoint.
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This was a surprise to me! Brick colour, almost brown, and more opaque than I expect a nebbiolo to be. On the nose there was chocolate, violets and ripe cherries. On the palate it was just stunning, fresh acidity still, firm tannins and just lovely fruit, everything so well balanced.
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Decanted for about an hour before serving, at which point it was just starting to open up. Notes of deep black cherry and candied vanilla, licorice more than anise, and some herbal aged notes. Developed more spice and earth in the glass- black tea, anise, and forest floor, so I might suggest a 2 hr decant to anyone else looking to pop a bottle soon, as the extra time allows for a greater depth and intensity on both the nose and palate.
The palate still carries a bit of sour acidity and there was the slightest bit of a hollow spot right before the mid-palate, but more exposure to air took care of that, and overall really comes together in a classic Travaglini style with lower tannin, lighter body, and some development with age. The palate is still fairly tannic with a sweet woody note, retro-nasally aromatic like cedar or fir. Black cherries, earth and soil, spicy anise with a very silk transition across the palate.
Really been into a lot of aged Gattinara now, and with Travaglini I feel as though their Riserva are better built for 10+ years in the cellar over the normale bottlings (6-8 years for their sweet spot IMO). I am liking this better than the 2007 Travaglini Riserva and about as much as I enjoyed the 2006 Vallana; another solid A (95) for Da 'Knurd.
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This wine has hit its stride; big improvement over prior bottles. Silky smooth tanins with ripe red fruits, hints of leather and tobacco, medium finish. Delicious.
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Second time around this was awesome. Reminded me of an older nobile riserva or mid aged Brunello. Garnet with brown edges. Sweet tobacco, ripe cherry, soil, minerals. I wish I had more.
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Coravin. Let sit for 4 hours in glass. Color is very nice brick red with burnt edges. Bouquet of roses, leather, tar, minerals, sweet cherry. Drinking very nicely with silky tannins and medium low acidity. Really coats the mouth. This is a lighter version of a Barolo but still has a firm backbone. I'd say this could be enjoyed without food. I think this is ready to drink but I'll revisit later.
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GRAPE VARIETIES: 100% NEBBIOLO ALCOHOL BY VOLUME: 13,5%
Appearance: Clear, medium garnet. Clean nose of medium(+) intensity, developing. Aroma characteristics: fresh red- and (hints of) dried fruit (strawberry, dried cherry) with subtle florality (roses) and further hints of animal, medicine and kernel (leather, camphor, moccha). Dry on the palate with medium(+) level of acidity and high level of grippy tannin. Medium(+) level og alcohol, medium(+) bodied. Medium(+) level of intensity. Aroma characteristics are repeated on the palate. Medium(+) length. A delicious, somewhat modern-styled nebbiolo. Perhaps slightly lighter-bodied than most Barolos, but still comparable in structure and complexity. Ready to drink, but can improve.
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(from half) Quite high toned / volatile / fumey on the nose. Behind it are liquer / dried cherry, a little violet and a little licorice playing off against that almopst sherbetty volatility. On the palate, striking acidity is holding sway at the moment, with moderately grippy tannins on the finish. In between there is a nicely typical Gattinara. elegantly showcasing the delicate nebbiolo fruit. Some question-marks over the balance, but giving it the benefit of the doubt, revist c. 2018+
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The nose showed masses of crushed red berries with mint and tea leaves. On the palate, it was at first smooth and enveloping before its structure took control and tannins coated the senses. However, a dense core of red fruits and earth were unmistakable and lasted through the long finish. This is a wine for the cellar. I know I’ll be putting some away in mine.
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light cherry colour with bricky reflexes. nose: subtle and complex; friuts, tea plus some tartness. taste: very, very young - high accidity, some tea and fruity notes, still closed. Great potential - keep at least 10-15 years.
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8/6/2022 - jondrinkswine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Beautiful, straightforward, well-balanced Nebbiolo offering a lot of typicity. The color is a gorgeous, bright blood orange. Tar and roses waft out of the glass, and the juicy, red-fruited palate is nicely accentuated by orange peel, licorice, black tea and spice. Tannins are smooth and well integrated finishing with a pleasant grip. Elevated acidity leaves the back of the jaw a bit taut, making this a perfect food wine. Nicely mature today, but has the structure for further aging. While it doesn’t offer the depth of a top-end Barolo, that’s not why you open Gattinara, and this wine doesn’t disappoint.
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5/14/2021 - MBerzell Likes this wine: 94 Points
This was a surprise to me! Brick colour, almost brown, and more opaque than I expect a nebbiolo to be. On the nose there was chocolate, violets and ripe cherries. On the palate it was just stunning, fresh acidity still, firm tannins and just lovely fruit, everything so well balanced.
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2/13/2021 - Itamar wrote: 95 Points
Well aged Nebbiolo. Needed ~4 hours of oxygen before it was as amazing as it was
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11/8/2019 - WineKnurd Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted for about an hour before serving, at which point it was just starting to open up. Notes of deep black cherry and candied vanilla, licorice more than anise, and some herbal aged notes. Developed more spice and earth in the glass- black tea, anise, and forest floor, so I might suggest a 2 hr decant to anyone else looking to pop a bottle soon, as the extra time allows for a greater depth and intensity on both the nose and palate.
The palate still carries a bit of sour acidity and there was the slightest bit of a hollow spot right before the mid-palate, but more exposure to air took care of that, and overall really comes together in a classic Travaglini style with lower tannin, lighter body, and some development with age. The palate is still fairly tannic with a sweet woody note, retro-nasally aromatic like cedar or fir. Black cherries, earth and soil, spicy anise with a very silk transition across the palate.
Really been into a lot of aged Gattinara now, and with Travaglini I feel as though their Riserva are better built for 10+ years in the cellar over the normale bottlings (6-8 years for their sweet spot IMO). I am liking this better than the 2007 Travaglini Riserva and about as much as I enjoyed the 2006 Vallana; another solid A (95) for Da 'Knurd.
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1/29/2017 - 422dbowlsby Likes this wine: 92 Points
This wine has hit its stride; big improvement over prior bottles. Silky smooth tanins with ripe red fruits, hints of leather and tobacco, medium finish. Delicious.
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9/17/2016 - shurpa14 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Second time around this was awesome. Reminded me of an older nobile riserva or mid aged Brunello. Garnet with brown edges. Sweet tobacco, ripe cherry, soil, minerals. I wish I had more.
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12/20/2015 - Griggzy wrote:
Past its drinking window
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9/6/2015 - shurpa14 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Coravin. Let sit for 4 hours in glass. Color is very nice brick red with burnt edges. Bouquet of roses, leather, tar, minerals, sweet cherry. Drinking very nicely with silky tannins and medium low acidity. Really coats the mouth. This is a lighter version of a Barolo but still has a firm backbone. I'd say this could be enjoyed without food. I think this is ready to drink but I'll revisit later.
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11/18/2012 - IB71 wrote: 92 Points
http://atasteforwine.blogspot.dk/2012/11/2005-travaglini-gattinara-riserva.html
GRAPE VARIETIES: 100% NEBBIOLO
ALCOHOL BY VOLUME: 13,5%
Appearance: Clear, medium garnet.
Clean nose of medium(+) intensity, developing. Aroma characteristics: fresh red- and (hints of) dried fruit (strawberry, dried cherry) with subtle florality (roses) and further hints of animal, medicine and kernel (leather, camphor, moccha).
Dry on the palate with medium(+) level of acidity and high level of grippy tannin. Medium(+) level og alcohol, medium(+) bodied. Medium(+) level of intensity. Aroma characteristics are repeated on the palate. Medium(+) length.
A delicious, somewhat modern-styled nebbiolo. Perhaps slightly lighter-bodied than most Barolos, but still comparable in structure and complexity. Ready to drink, but can improve.
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8/3/2012 - Ian S wrote:
(from half) Quite high toned / volatile / fumey on the nose. Behind it are liquer / dried cherry, a little violet and a little licorice playing off against that almopst sherbetty volatility.
On the palate, striking acidity is holding sway at the moment, with moderately grippy tannins on the finish. In between there is a nicely typical Gattinara. elegantly showcasing the delicate nebbiolo fruit.
Some question-marks over the balance, but giving it the benefit of the doubt, revist c. 2018+
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5/1/2012 - Cyleb wrote: 84 Points
ok
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11/14/2011 - hhannis Likes this wine: 87 Points
DN Piemonte. Lagres best på magnum.
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10/19/2011 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 93 Points
The nose showed masses of crushed red berries with mint and tea leaves. On the palate, it was at first smooth and enveloping before its structure took control and tannins coated the senses. However, a dense core of red fruits and earth were unmistakable and lasted through the long finish. This is a wine for the cellar. I know I’ll be putting some away in mine.
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9/8/2011 - Jeffyboy wrote:
light cherry colour with bricky reflexes. nose: subtle and complex; friuts, tea plus some tartness. taste: very, very young - high accidity, some tea and fruity notes, still closed. Great potential - keep at least 10-15 years.
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