Tasting Note
96 Points, Stephen Tanzer, Vinous Good bright deep red. Shy, high-pitched nose hints at strawberry, raspberry, rose petal, mocha and soil tones, plus a whiff of flinty reduction. Rich and full but weightless, offering outstanding, tingling palate coverage. Wonderfully graceful and energetic wine, finishing with perfectly ripe, noble tannins and palate-staining flavor. A real essence of fruit-and-flower nebbiolo perfume, which Grasso said was apparent even during the fermentation.Review Date: 01 Nov 11
About the Producer
Situated in Monforte d’Alba, the estate extends over 42 hectares of land of which 18 are dedicated to vineyards. They started making wine in 1978 from plantings of Nebbiolo, Barbera, and Dolcetto. Their production sits at a maximum of just 90,000 bottles annually, which they proclaim allows them to maintain meticulous control and care throughout the production process. Since taking over from his father Elio, winemaker Gianluca Grasso has worked tirelessly to bring about added refinement and consistency in the wines of Elio Grasso. We have been visiting the family since the 2001 vintage and have known their wines since the 1996 vintage. In the last decade they have lifted the bar for quality hugely. As with a number of other Piemonte estates, they have benefited from an unprecedented run of high-quality vintages, dictated first and foremost by the weather during the growing season, but equally Gianluca’s deft hand in winemaking has brought about greater purity and nuance in the estate’s wines. Gianluca and his father Elio, have always stressed the winemaker’s adage that wine is made in the vineyard. Gianluca is obsessive about determining the perfect moment to harvest and is not averse to taking risks in the vineyard.
