WS: RobertoConterno @ Nervi

A fairly interesting article, as linked by WineTerroirist, by BruceSanderson:
Conterno/Nervi
on the aftermath of the purchase a yr ago of NerviWnry in Gattinara by Barolo producer, RobertConterno.
After a number of yrs of languishing, Nervi was purchased in 2011 by a group of Norwegian investors (primarily) which included Erling Astrup, a good friend of Conterno’s. Primarily thru Erling’s efforts, the quality of the Nervi wines has advanced tremendously. Erling still retains 10% ownership and is the main driving force behind Nervi’s wines. Conterno is maintaining a go-slow approach and has kept most of the Nervi team in place, though he is expanding the wine cellar.
It should be pointed that Erling is one of several Italian members of NEB and has expressed an interest in attending one of our NEB get-togethers. Hopefully, it will happen someday.
Under the rubric that a rising tide lifts all ships, Conterno’s presence should be a big lift for the Gattinara region.
Tom

No doubt that his investment/purchase will drive interest in the wine/area. In fact it has already started. I did a tour/tasting at Nervi a couple of weeks ago, also let there be no doubt that this is Roberto Conterno’s show . His cool level of excellence and precision were all over it. I have a DRC tasting, no not that DRC, this afternoon. But will get some notes and photos up soon.

So to follow up with some thoughts on this and the visit. Seems Roberto is looking to continue to explore Nebbiolo in all it’s expressions. And lets face it, North Piedmont is the next logical step. Things have gotten very tight in the Langhe over the last 10-15 years. Pressure on the land, escalating prices, concerns over climate change etc One way to get ahead of the game is to go North. He has been working behind the scenes for some time and now an opportunity presented itself. Nervi was, at least to me, an underperforming estate. Going to be interesting to watch/follow the transition. We were traveling up from Castiglione Falletto to Lake Orta and had done a visit to G. Conterno several days earlier. So it was only 45 min to Nervi.

At G. Conterno and Nervi we used the Sensory glass. A new glass from Zwiesel Kristallglass designed to meet Roberto’s requirements. Pretty amazing glass with sheer perfect balance. I think most wines would taste better just being near the glass. I have no idea of the price and I probably don’t want to know.
https://www.sensory-glass.com/about

Th Jefferson 1787 - 2014?
100% sparkling rose, metodo classico, 3 yrs lees, zero dosage, 3-4K bottles, purchased fruit, intense dense frothy mousse, very nice fruit and delicious

2018 Il Rosato - 100% Nebbiolo, pale salmon color, very fruity nose, fairly dense fruit raspberry/boysenberry 13.5 alc acidity?

2018 will be the first vintage that all the wine will be under total control by Roberto Conterno

2015 Gattinara - No single vineyards produced in 2015, ruby red color with slight brown hue, red fruit on the nose with minerals, flat red fruit flavors, nice texture and mouthfeel, moderate tannin that starts to build, young and searching for some time

2014 Gattinara - V. Molsino - Up to 40 yr old vines, slightly darker red than the other wine, dried pomegranate and cherry

Some photos of the Cantina/Cellar.

These are photos of the drawings for the new cellar. They are working at a pretty good clip.

Was not a fan of the 2015 Gattinara… will give a 375ml another go tomorrow… alongside a '67 Gattinara

Typo?

Fixed.

Sorry for the photos being rotated. I swear I did not drink that much. Any easy way to fix it?

Had the '15 Nervi Gattinara recently - easy going, pretty and fragrant.

I had the 2015 Gattinara twice on this trip. Ordered a bottle at Centro Storico and tasting at Nervi. Liked it both times. Found it to be a bit nervous and a touch austere. No great surprise for me given the wine and age. Or lack of it. What was s bit of a surprise was that some other folks with me liked it also. And they tend to like more fleshy Nebbiolo wines. Or course it showed better with lunch.

What didn’t you like about it? I was not a fan of the vineyard pricing…ambitious beyond belief.

Had a lone 375 ml. My CT note:
Huge nose of wild berries. Loved the nose.
Palate is big sour cherry and sour strawberry.
Nose is a 94. Palate is 87. Nice mouthfeel that is like a polished stone 90. Smooth finish.
I’m a palate dominant drinker and [don’t like tart dominant palate] so 89+

Double decanted another 375ml this AM for tonight and will have it with food this time; didn’t taste it, but again got a very fragrant nose. Such a good nose.

Gary - Thanks for the notes. Why no single vineyard bottlings in '15?

Seemed like it was two things. Lack of finding what he wanted in the single vineyards. Not necessarily in the quality, but in the distinctiveness of each site. And wanting to more fully integrate his program into the wines. To that end he did a selection of the best fruit and sold off all the rest.

Gary, before I forget a restaurant suggestion next time you are in the area: Ristorante alla Torre in Romagnano Sesia.

We did the same visit at the end of March and came away with more or less the identical observations as Gary (can’t remember her name, but looks like you had the same charming Russian blonde as your hostess who speaks flawless Italian per my wife). My notes reflect that the single vineyard fruit was not up to Roberto’s qualitative standard for a single vineyard bottling, so a fair amount of that fruit made its way into the 2015 Gattinara. Give it 5-7 years and the 2015 will be a wonderful bottle of Gattinara. It will be fun to do some blinds over the coming years with Antoniolo, Nervi, Travaglini and Torraccia del Piantavigna

We bought a few of the sparkling to put in the cellar, even though we thought it was a bit pricey at 30+ euros a bottle. The 2014 single vineyards were gorgeous wines, but I almost choked when I saw the 85 euro price. Markus’ comment of ambitious beyond belief is an understatement.

I can’t find my note on the glass pricing, but I believe they were 65 euros per. To give some contrast, Zalto Burg vs Sensory:

Name was Claudia. As to the prices, well, it is Conterno.

Sounds like a classic Gattinara. I really don’t understand what you are looking for in a young Alto Piemonte red if not this.

They can be cellared for many decades. Recently had a 1957 that was brilliant. Cedric Bouchard, Vouette et Sorbee, Prüm, Egon Müller, Musar, Figeac, Giacosa, Bartolo Mascarello, Pereira d'Oliveira - WINE TALK - WineBerserkers
The 2014’s with Conterno on the label are almost double up compared to the 2013’s, although they were made before Conterno took over

I’ve noticed. I’ve had vintages going back to the year 1950 and still have a bottle of 1961 Nervi Spanna in my cellar.

I found the wine to be more acidic than the handful of other young alto Piedmont I have tried.

Last night, I opened my other 375, and I did not perceive this to be as tart… but this was very different circumstance… this wine was tasted with/after oily/fatty food and after ~8 other wines. No surprise, the wine was better with food. The '67 Nervi ended up not being pristine (I was told); a bit brownish, with notes of burnt sugar… over the night I enjoyed it less, but nevertheless a stark difference than the young 2015. I will hold onto my last bottle of 2015 for hopefully a few decades to see what metamorphosis may come.

It will be interesting to see the impact of Conterno’s involvement with the property and area. Although there are other producers, Antoniolo, Vallana and Traviglini, none carry the image of Conterno. And coupled with other names/properties:

Ferrando - Carema
Sperino - Lessona
Le Piane - Boca
Rovellotti - Ghemme
Several others could be included

Certainly a lot of attention on wines that were struggling for attention only 8-10 years ago.