When I listed my 10 most influential wines, I didn’t list any Vallana Spanna, but bottles from the ‘50s and ‘60’s, consumed through the early 2000s could be great, spectacular or both; a gift to young consumers who could not otherwise easily find or afford the magic of well-aged wine. Vallana seems to have fallen off of the radar. I picked this up a year or so ago for what seemed like a bargain… iirc ~$25.
Medium garnet color. Aromas offer some faint simple red cherry fruit along with some leafiness of age and noticeable minerality. On the palate this is closed and dry with little fruit and a compact, boxy mid-palate, with something of dried tobacco… not fine tobacco. I’m almost going to open something else, but the second sip is better.
Over the next two hours my guest and I consume the bottle and every single sip is better than the last. First to come to the table after 15 minutes is something floral, there are the famous Nebbiolo roses, faint at first, then stronger. The tobacco note fades and there is a hint of mouthwatering salinity. Finally here comes the fruit, the red cherries joined by black ones and even a hint of raspberry, starting red, finishing black. By the end this is lovely, intricate, even almost friendly!
The Wine Spectator rates it 78. I wouldn’t have been much higher on opening, maybe 81-82. But I’ll bet the reviewer didn’t revisit it over time. At the end of the evening, I give it a 91.
I am not sure I would age this, but a splash decant an hour before drinking should make it right. I’m going to see if I can pick up a few more bottles.
In 1937 Antonio Vallana and his son Bernardo founded the Antonio Vallana e Figlio wine company. Bernardo the son was the owner/winemaker who made the classic wines of the 1950s and 60s. During this time, he was grooming his son Antonio (named after his grandfather) to take over the winemaking. Sadly, in 1968 Antonio died suddenly at the age of 17. Bernardo was distraught. He continued to make the wine, but without the same enthusiasm.
Meanwhile in 1980, his only other child, his daugher Giuseppina Vallana, married an Englishman, Guy Fogarty, who was working as an English teacher. Bernardo taught Guy Fogarty how to make wine his way, but Guy too died young, in 1996.
Francis and Marina are the children of Giuseppina Vallana and Guy Fogarty. So Antonio Vallana is their great grandfather. When their father died, Francis took over as winemaker. He has a PhD in viticulture. Their mother Giuseppina and her mother Marina (wife of Bernardo) are still involved in the winery, while the younger Marina is heavily involed in marketing operations.
Yup. I, too, bought a few bottles of this for a song a year or 2 ago, and have greatly enjoyed the couple I have had so far. I believe I have 1 or 2 remaining. Agree there doesn’t seem to be much upside for further aging. I am astonished WS gave this 78 points!
They certainly have been patchy over recent decades, but those great wines from the 50s and 60s has put so much credit in the (respect) bank, that I’m always happy to try the wines.
I would love it, as much for a cheeky poke at the accusations of the source of the great 50s and 60s wines, for them to do a joint venture wine blending Northern Piemonte nebbiolo with aglianico from Campania under a VdT label. I reckon there would be genuinely strong interest in such a wine, and they could have real fun with the labelling. I doubt they would, but I’d be a buyer.
Showing some bricking on the rim, but still very lively on the nose and palate. Smoky cherry, asphalt and oregano on the nose. Nice balance of smoky fruit and acidity on the palate, with tannins fully resolved. Not really any secondary notes yet, so some further development possible, but a little hard to gauge. This is going to be a wonderful match with homemade pizza in the oven as we speak.
Regarding their wines over the last two decades or so, I’ve nearly always had the impression that their Gattinara bottling shows somehow more ethereal, more lace-like, floating and almost fragile, than their other wines. Given the history, though, I don’t think I’d be too quick to count them out for the very long haul. Mysterious wines.
Always wanted to know what their legendary wines from the '50s and '60s tasted like when they were still young.
like a favorite pair of shoes, just so comfortable…
2007 Antonio Vallana e Figlio Gattinara- Italy, Piedmont, Northern Piedmont, Gattinara (11/29/2020)
A fully mature wine that benefitted from a brief aeration in decanter; trace sediment. Dark-er garnet core, slight bricking on the rim. Initial aromas tend toward earth, mushroom, with some dusty cherry fruit. The body is medium, acids are vg, and the tannins are integrated, and fine. There’s not a lot of charm here, rather it’s personality, and I’ll take that any day. There are no huge undulations with this wine, no gobs of this or that, and nothing is smoking. It’s not jumping from my glass - more like a butler’s confident stride. I’ve got four more that I’ll be sure to drink within the next 4-6 years. DIAM5, 13,0% abv. recommended+
Love where this wine is right now - it has really come into its own. For a while it was lagging way behind the 2006. I still don’t think it will reach the same heights, but it’s holding its own. I have more than a case left and agree 4-6 years is about right.
Chris, I have five, and I’ve tasted it since pre-release, so my advice is to try one in the coming month. Sure, it’ll hold, but you should try one now, too. You can only win.
Will do Tim. I had the 2016 Campi Raudii a few weeks ago which seemed to be a baby. I also have some untasted 2013 Boca. Maybe I need to try to two Boca’s side by side. I want to tell you that I read your Vallana winery notes from start to finish with great enjoyment. They helped me jump on exploring this winery. Your Colombera & Garella trip notes were also a real treat to read. Keep up the good work!
I have to say this has really grown into a wonderful bottle, like Tim said this is balanced from entry to finish! A humble bottle like this is why I drink wine.
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