2010 Pietro Cassina Coste della Sesia Ciuet- Italy, Piedmont, Northern Piedmont, Coste della Sesia (10/12/2016)
Stunning, mature and something I will definitely look for in the future. For such a modest wine, there’s a lot to admire: As in waves of perfumes, running the spectrum of floral to savory and to bright strawberry. The palate, too, wears quite a few masks – all of them interesting, nuanced and artfully delicate. This is one of my favorite wines this year (I’m a fan of understated finesse). To most that would not mean a lot, but to me it does, because the care that went into this bottling is obvious on each and every sip. Medium(-) bodied, but gains a touch of weight as it warms from cellar temp. Silky sweet, lacy tannins that are mostly mature at this point. Just brilliant. Can’t wait to visit here in just a few months. 13,0% abv., thru 2020. highly recommended
Agree on excellent quality across the four-wine (I think?) range. Disagree on the relative merits: the hierarchy does indeed reflect what you suggest, but somehow I’ve always found the Ciuet to be the most interesting wine (at least for me). The Lessona, while a fantastic wine, has always struck me as a little on the burly side for a Lessona. But that’s probably more because of my reference points and might well be subject to revision in the future
Met Pietro Cassina at a tasting one or two years ago. Nice guy, modest, but full of energy. I liked the wines, but tried them only at the end of the tasting, so with not enough attention.
Good things are happening in that region. I am heading to Colombera & Garella right now and am thrilled to taste their wines…
Can’t seem to stop drinking those lately. They killed it with the Coste della Sesia in both '11 and '12 ('13 maybe not so much, but still very nice and elegant in a more low-key way, if not as rich in detail). Beautiful Lessona (Pizzaguerra), and an even better Bramaterra, the latter being the true star of their line-up for me. Have fun!
(Tvrtko, is there anything wine-related in Italy which you don’t know already?!
Passerina del Frusinate “Monocromo” di Macciocca?)
I heard the interview with Cristiano Garella on Levi Dalton’s podcast and was impressed by Cristiano’s modesty and knowledge of wine in general and of that region. Called them up and fixed an appointment for a visit. I was hosted by Giacomo Colombera. Also very competent, young and enthusiastic. Great visit, lots of fun despite the horrible weather. I can’t say anything about previous vintages but 2013 looks like an excellent one. I agree with your description of the Coste della Sesia 2013 and can tell you that the 2014, even though it was a much more difficult vintage overall, seems much better to me.
The Bramaterra and the Lessona 2013 are both great wines. In the end I did have a preference for the Lessona, though. Neither of them is showy, but both have plenty of character and complexity.
They drink very well now, but seem to have potential for a long aging.
The same evening we drank a magnum of the Coste della Sesia 2013 with friends over some simple piemontese food (cheese, ham, focaccia and the like) and it was perfect.
