Bramaterra and Friends by Alessio
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EN
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Boris Buliga
A journey through Nebbiolo's hidden regions, where tradition and time craft unforgettable wines.
When it comes to Nebbiolo, my experience is so limited that it often feels like I know almost nothing about this noble grape or the regions it hails from. With other areas, I don't feel too bad about the missed opportunities (you can't taste everything, after all), but Nebbiolo pulls me in with a particular allure. I understand why so many people hold it in such high regard, and this growing appreciation explains the increasing number of Nebbiolo-based wines I've stocked in my cellar for personal enjoyment.
Of course, Barbaresco and Barolo are celebrated appellations, but fortunately for enthusiasts like me, other regions—thanks to various factors—produce remarkable yet more affordable wines. Valtellina, Gattinara, and, notably, Bramaterra come to mind. Though my experience with Barolo is minimal, I've heard compelling perspectives. For instance, Alessio mentions that today's Bramaterra resembles Barolo from 30 years ago, partly due to climate change and partly because of the traditional winemaking methods that haven't been compromised to suit mass-market preferences.
Not long ago, I participated in a small tasting where we compared two bottles of Bramaterra by La Palazzina with two bottles of Gattinara by Travaglini, both recent arrivals from Wine Wine and Goodwine respectively. I was so captivated by the Bramaterra that when Vasyl and Alessio invited me to a tasting focused entirely on this region, I couldn't resist.
Naturally, the event kicked off with Champagne as a welcome drink. We then tasted four wines from La Palazzina, followed by a few surprises—one more Bramaterra, a Gattinara, and a stunning Valtellina, all served blind. It was an incredible experience. My heartfelt thanks go to Alessio and Vasyl for making life just that little bit more beautiful and to Lo Bar for providing such a cosy setting and delicious snacks.
| Wine | Place | rms Average score calculated using the root mean square method, reflecting the collective assessment of a wine by participants. | wavg Weighted average score for the wine, where each participant's rating is adjusted for their wine assessment expertise. | sdev Standard deviation measures the controversy of a wine's reception. A lower value signifies greater consensus among participants. | fav Count of participants who selected this wine as their evening's favourite. | out Number of participants who identified this wine as their least favourite of the evening. | price Price of the wine, if available. | volume Volume of the bottle in litres. | QPR Quality-price ratio, indicating value for money. A higher number denotes better value. Available when price is known. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 🏅 5th | 4.0403 | 4.0195 | 0.0024 | 0 | 0 | UAH 3,290.00 | 0.75 L | 0.7419 😐 |
| 🏅 6th | 3.9408 | 3.9561 | 0.0064 | 0 | 0 | UAH 1,149.00 | 0.75 L | 0.8831 🤔 | |
| 🏅 4th | 4.1015 | 4.1439 | 0.0120 | 0 | 0 | UAH 2,090.00 | 0.75 L | 0.9613 🤔 | |
| 🥈 2nd | 4.1816 | 4.2634 | 0.0136 | 0 | 0 | UAH 3,890.00 | 0.75 L | 0.9041 🤔 | |
| 🥉 3rd | 4.2207 | 4.2463 | 0.0056 | 0 | 0 | UAH 4,990.00 | 0.75 L | 0.7702 😐 | |
| 🏅 8th | 3.9000 | 3.9000 | 0.0000 | 0 | 0 | – | 0.75 L | – | |
| 🏅 7th | 3.9202 | 3.9024 | 0.0016 | 0 | 0 | – | 0.75 L | – | |
| 🥇 1st | 4.2631 | 4.3756 | 0.0264 | 0 | 0 | UAH 4,890.00 | 0.75 L | 1.0224 😊 |
Tellier Les Massales Extra Brut Rosé NV
- Region
- France » Champagne AOC
- Type
- rose traditional sparkling, extra brut
- Producer
- Tellier
- Vintage
- NV
- Disgorged
- 2022-09
- On lees
- >40 months
- Grapes
- Chardonnay, Meunier, Pinot Noir
- Alcohol
- 12
- Volume
- 750 mL
This wine secured the 🏅 5th place in our wine tasting lineup.
This solid entry-level rosé offers a charming nose with notes of barberry candy, buttered croissant, and red apple, accompanied by a subtle hint of cider. Its pinpoint acidity complements an intense, slightly spicy palate. Flavorful and persistent, the wine concludes with a delightful Jerez touch in the finish.
La Palazzina Coste della Sesia Rosso 2020
- Region
- Italy » Piedmont » Coste della Sesia DOC
- Type
- red still, dry
- Producer
- La Palazzina
- Vintage
- 2020
- Grapes
- Nebbiolo, Croatina, Vespolina, Uva Rara
- Alcohol
- 12.5
- Volume
- 750 mL
This wine secured the 🏅 6th place in our wine tasting lineup.
This wine offers more complexity than one might initially expect. Made primarily from their oldest vines, this vintage presents depth and intricacy, all while maintaining a reasonable price as an entry-level wine.
Though still young, it captivates with a charming nose of black bread crust, a mix of black and red fruits, and withered rose petals. As it opens, an intriguing animalistic note with a hint of musk emerges. While the nose is somewhat subdued—perhaps a different glass might enhance it—the palate shines brightly. It's delicate yet well-structured, juicy with firm but finely integrated tannins. The long, delicious aftertaste lingers with notes of licorice root and red flowers.
La Palazzina Balmi Bioti Bramaterra Riserva 2018
- Region
- Italy » Piedmont » Bramaterra DOC
- Type
- red still, dry
- Producer
- La Palazzina
- Vintage
- 2018
- Grapes
- Nebbiolo, Croatina, Vespolina, Uva Rara
- Alcohol
- 13
- Volume
- 750 mL
This wine secured the 🏅 4th place in our wine tasting lineup.
Tasting this wine again in a short span confirms the same charming experience. Despite its approachability today, I still believe it would benefit from extended aging. Aromas of black rose, cacao, red and black fruits, briar, smoked meat, wood, and earth compose its complex and nuanced profile. It is nicely packed, with a relatively intense and concentrated character. While structured, it also remains delicate and juicy. There's a slight warmth, but the acidity adds to its complexity rather than detracting from it. It's a neat and impressive wine.
La Palazzina Balmi Bioti Bramaterra 2015
- Region
- Italy » Piedmont » Bramaterra DOC
- Type
- red still, dry
- Producer
- La Palazzina
- Vintage
- 2015
- Grapes
- Nebbiolo, Croatina, Vespolina, Uva Rara
- Alcohol
- 12.5
- Volume
- 750 mL
This wine secured the 🥈 2nd place in our wine tasting lineup.
Tasting this wine again in such a short time confirms the same beautiful experience. It offers a perfumed and nuanced nose with delicate aromas of olives, dried herbs, black fruits, briar, and forest floor. A subtle funkiness from aging enhances the overall experience. On the palate, it is subtle, juicy, and delicious, with superb texture and acidity. This is a very charming and feminine wine. Simply beautiful.
La Palazzina Bramaterra 2010
- Region
- Italy » Piedmont » Bramaterra DOC
- Type
- red still, dry
- Producer
- La Palazzina
- Wine
- Bramaterra
- Vintage
- 2010
- Grapes
- Nebbiolo, Croatina, Vespolina, Uva Rara
- Alcohol
- 12.5
- Volume
- 750 mL
This wine secured the 🥉 3rd place in our wine tasting lineup.
Compared to the 2015 vintage, this wine is decidedly more masculine and perhaps even more old-school, reflecting the distinct approach of two winemakers—father and son. The father, with his no-rush mentality, matured the wines for a longer period.
The wine presents a captivating nose of tea, wet wood, bay leaf, pickles, dried herbs, and bitter herbs (hey, amaro), along with notes of raw spiced meat reminiscent of steak tartare. A beautiful layer of hibiscus tea adds to the complexity. The powerful tannins are well-matured and integrated, supported by excellent acidity and juiciness. It's a neat and impressive wine.
Colombera & Garella Bramaterra Cascina Cottignano 2016
- Region
- Italy » Piedmont » Bramaterra DOC
- Type
- red still, dry
- Producer
- Colombera & Garella
- Vintage
- 2016
- Grapes
- Nebbiolo, Vespolina, Croatina
- Alcohol
- 13
- Volume
- 750 mL
- Find at
This wine secured the 🏅 8th place in our wine tasting lineup.
Served blind, this wine presented a guessing challenge. Nebbiolo crossed my mind, yet there were no definitive clues. It features a powerful and intense nose of black fruits, brânzǎ de oaie, and wet wood, alongside earthy and animal notes with a slightly natural edge. On the palate, it is powerful and nearly full-bodied, with high acidity. The tannins are not high but have a green quality, making the vintage hard to pinpoint. With time, it should improve, but today it remains a challenging drink.
Nervi Gattinara 2019
This wine secured the 🏅 7th place in our wine tasting lineup.
Served blind, I also struggled to pinpoint this wine. It offers intriguing aromas of plum, sweet chocolate, tomato stems, wet asphalt, and night flowers, showcasing a certain charm. On the palate, it presents as warm and fruit-forward, yet the very green tannins and high acidity create an imbalance that makes it hard to fully enjoy at the moment. It's not a bad wine, just absurdly young, and may need time to evolve.
Arpepe Sassella Rocce Rosse Valtellina Superiore Riserva 2013
- Region
- Italy » Piedmont » Valtellina Superiore DOCG
- Type
- red still, dry
- Producer
- Arpepe
- Vintage
- 2013
- Grapes
- Nebbiolo
- Alcohol
- 13
- Volume
- 750 mL
This wine secured the 🥇 1st place in our wine tasting lineup.
This wine was served blind and instantly captivated me. My initial guess was Piercarlo Culasso, but a slightly smoked note made me reconsider. The palate confirmed it wasn't Piercarlo Culasso, as it appeared more evolved and less feminine. Arpepe came to mind, but the vintage remained a mystery, given how fresh and young the 1999 Il Pettirosso was; it could range from the 1990s to 2017.
The perfumed nose is graced with beautiful notes of red fruits, chocolate, dried rose petals, spices, wood, and underbrush, with a hint of ya'an cha. It's very clean and beautifully developed, yet still feels so young. The wine is delicate and juicy, with firm tannins and impressive acidity, which, coupled with excellent fruit quality, makes it absurdly juicy and quaffable. It's complex, multilayered, long, and evolving. Truly beautiful stuff.
Raw scores
| Wine | Vasyl V | Dmytro L | Anna Z | Vitalii M | Boris B |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.00 | 4.00 | 4.10 | 4.10 | 4.00 | |
| 3.90 | 3.80 | 4.00 | 4.00 | 4.00 | |
| 4.10 | 3.90 | 4.20 | 4.10 | 4.20 | |
| 4.30 | 4.00 | 4.10 | 4.20 | 4.30 | |
| 4.20 | 4.10 | 4.30 | 4.20 | 4.30 | |
| 3.90 | 3.90 | 3.90 | 3.90 | 3.90 | |
| 3.90 | 4.00 | 3.90 | 3.90 | 3.90 | |
| 4.50 | 4.20 | 4.10 | 4.10 | 4.40 |