2019 Conterno Nervi Gattinara Vigna Valferana

The Nervi estate is the oldest in the DOCG of Gattinara, north of Piedmont, founded in 1906 by original owner Luigi Nervi. A long time admirer of the wines and friends of the owners at the time, Roberto Conterno (of Giacomo Conterno fame) purchased a 90% stake in the winery in 2018, renaming it Conterno Nervi. A relatively new designation, Gattinara became a DOCG in 1990, and while the wines show similarities to those of Piedmont, generally Gattinara reds have a more elevated feel, savoury and structured, with plenty of acidity and fine tannins allowing for great longevity.

There are 20 cru vineyards in the Gattinara DOCG appellation, with Valferana sitting near the geographical centre of the commune at a height of 370 metres. Although it sits a little lower than Molsino, Valferana doesn’t get as much sunlight or warmth, facing predominantly west, and it is one of the steepest crus. Most vintages, the wine has a tight, focused frame. ‘Valferana’ is the more austere of the two crus, with a tightly wound core gifted by Gattinara’ s porphyry-gravel soil; the wine is disciplined with myriad mineral nuances. The wine is fermented and macerated in tini (large conical wooden vats) for 3–4 weeks, then aged for another 40 months in various large wood formats.

Other Reviews....
A wine of soaring intensity, the 2019 Gattinara Valferrana opens with intensely floral aromatics that are immediately alluring. Bright red-fleshed fruit, chalk and mint lend notable inner sweetness. At times, the Valferrana is quite potent, in other moments it presents notable finesse. That counterpoint makes for an absolutely compelling Gattinara that readers will want in their cellars. Drink 2029-2049.
96 points
Antonio Galloni - Vinous