Nervi-Conterno Gattinara 'Molsino' 2018

The 2018 Gattinara Molsino emerges from a relatively warm, sunny spot on the estate at 400m in elevation. It presents myriad shades of dark cherry/plum fruit, sage, menthol, new leather and dark spices. Potent and virile in the glass, the Molsino possesses tremendous drive as it builds into a deep, beautifully resonant finish that is utterly captivating. It’s a remarkable effort for the first year in which Roberto and his team were in charge. The ambition is pretty clear. Molsino will soon be the Monfortino of Alto Piemonte. 98+ Antonio Galloni, Vinous March 22

Located on the western border of the DOCG, sitting up at 420 metres, Molsino, meaning in local dialect, soft and smooth, is the largest of the vineyards and faces mostly in a classic south-west exposure. It has a natural amphitheatre shape, which helps retain plenty of perfect Nebbiolo ripening warmth – required at these cooler areas. Fermentation and maceration is exactly the same for both single cru wines, gentle destemming and crushing with maceration for 3-4 weeks afterwards. Aging is for 40 months in large oak, but with sizes that vary up to 76hl. ‘Molsino’ vs ‘Valferana’, though tightly wound on release (perhaps even more so than ‘Valferana’), ‘Molsino’ opens up and can be lush by comparison, still underpinned by evident structure and tang, but more generous with cherry, plum and balsamic (local bush sage) over and above.