La Spinetta is a respected name in the Italian wine scene but is actually a relative newcomer, having been established in the Piedmont region in 1977 by the Rivetti family. Yet under the Rivettis, this humble winery saw a meteoric rise to become one of the most renowned makers of Barbarescos and Barolos, while developing an extensive range of cuvées and attaining the coveted Tre-Bicchieri award for a remarkable 30-odd wine labels within the winery’s relatively short career.

The name "La Spinetta" takes its inspiration from the thorny bushes that dot the landscape of Piedmont, a subtle nod to the tenacious spirit that has fueled the winery’s success. These prickly shrubs are known for their resilience in the face of harsh conditions.

In their early years, the Rivettis focused on the production of Moscato d'Asti, a delightfully sweet and aromatic white wine that first became their calling card. This initial success with Moscato d'Asti, a wine often associated with festive occasions and lighter fare, allowed the family to establish a foothold in the wine market and build a loyal following. Thereon, their ambitions extended beyond Moscato, and they soon set their sights on purchasing vineyards for the noble Nebbiolo grape, known for its complexity and aging potential and is also the backbone of Barolo and Barbaresco wines. The winery’s success allowed it to gradually acquire more vineyards throughout Piedmont and even in Tuscany. Today, La Spinetta comprises four distinct estates, each with its own unique character and terroir.

Speaking of terroir, La Spinetta is known for its dedication to single-vineyard production. It meticulously cultivates and vinify grapes from specific sites, showcasing the subtle nuances and distinctive characteristics that each vineyard imparts to the wine. The winery produces an array of single-vineyard Barbaresco and Barolo wines from its Gallina, Starderi, Valeirano, and Campè vineyards, a shining example of this single-vineyard commitment. A side-by-side tasting allows you to pick up the subtle nuances. The Gallina vineyard, for instance, is known for producing wines with elegance and finesse, while the Starderi vineyard yields wines with power and structure.

Sustainable winemaking and minimal intervention are also core to La Spinetta’s philosophy. They eschew the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides, opting instead for natural methods that nurture the land and promote biodiversity. The winery also embraces low yields and high-density planting, techniques that encourage the vines to produce grapes with concentrated flavours and complex aromas, coupled with judicious oak aging to enhance the wine’s structure without masking the vibrant fruit flavours.

And while La Spinetta has garnered acclaim, it remains committed to offering great wines at approachable prices, ensuring that ordinary daily consumers could have a taste of their best vineyards.

Their success has even allowed them to acquire several other wineries, including one of Italy’s oldest wineries, Contratto. Founded way back in 1867, Contratto is renowned for being the first Italian winery to produce sparkling wine using the traditional method derived from French Champagne makers (Méthode Champenoise), which involves a secondary fermentation in the bottles induced by the addition of sugar and yeast (referred to as liqueur de tirage) and a disgorgement of sediments.

Contratto had been facing challenges in the wine market but Rivettis saw its potential and acquired it in 2011. They brought expertise and investment from La Spinetta and breathed new life into Contratto while honouring its legacy.

Their most significant undertakings was the restoration of Contratto's historic cellars, which date back to the 1800s. Recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, these cellars, carved out of tuff stone and stretching over 5,000 square meters underground, are regarded as masterpieces of subterranean architecture and a testament to the craftsmanship of a bygone era . Investment was brought in to restore these cellars while modernizing the production facilities to ensure that Contratto could continue to produce its exceptional sparkling wines using its time-honoured methods.

Our tasting was led by Luca Cigliuti, Export & Marketing Manager of La Spinetta.

Last week, I joined a tasting hosted by Park90, La Spinetta and Contratto with a rather diverse lineup of wines:

• La Spinetta (Giorgio Rivetti), Vermentino IGT Bianco 2022
• La Spinetta (Giorgio Rivetti), Barbaresco 2020
• La Spinetta (Giorgio Rivetti), Barolo Vigneto Garretti 2019
• Contratto, Metodo Classico Millesimato Pas Dose 2019
• Contratto, Barbaresco DOCG Baluchin 2014

La Spinetta (Giorgio Rivetti), Vermentino IGT Bianco 2022 – Review

Tasting Notes 

Nose: Greets the nose with a gentle sweetness, more reminiscent of candied citrus than the bright zest of the peel. It's undeniably fruity, with the yeasty notes taking a backseat, allowing a subtle minerality to peek through.

Palate: A wave of chalky minerality washes over, intertwined with the sweetness of green apples and the tangy zest of yuzu. Herbaceous notes emerge, gradually transitioning into a grassy character, while a cooling mintiness slowly intensifies. Despite the fruit-forward nature, it remains medium-dry, avoiding any cloying sweetness.

Finish: A lingering sweetness of pear, harmonising with a persistent mintiness.

My Thoughts

A straightforward but still somewhat layered Bianco wine, showcasing a delightful sweetness that remains expressive without being overwhelming. It's remarkably easy to drink, making it an excellent companion to pizza or white meats.

La Spinetta (Giorgio Rivetti), Barbaresco 2020 – Review 

La Spinetta produces Barberesco wines from four different vineyards. This particular bottle is of a vineyard with sandy soil, thus making the wine a little less intense, softer and more perfumed, while also being more drinkable at a younger age.

Tasting Notes

Nose: A rich, complex bouquet. Aromatic oak dances harmoniously with a delightful jamminess. Thick red fruits intertwine with a touch of liquorice, along with Christmas cake and cinnamon sprinkles.

Palate: A rich, round, and velvety entry envelops the palate, revealing sweet black fruits and hints of Hacks candy. The tannins gradually emerge, accompanied by a subtle spiciness that adds depth and complexity.

Finish: Relatively short, leaving a slightly chalky sensation with a notable presence of heavier tannins.

My Thoughts

This Barbaresco is remarkably easy to drink, offering a friendly and refined character. As promised, the sandy soil does lead to a softer wine, making it approachable and enjoyable. However, the tannins do make their presence known towards the end, adding a touch of grip and structure. Overall, a delightful and slightly more elegant expression of Barbaresco.

La Spinetta (Giorgio Rivetti), Barolo Vigneto Garretti 2019

Our final Spinetta is a Barolo grown of a vineyard with a greater percentage of clay and more compact soil, this giving the wine more structure, body and richness and generally a more tannic grip.

Tasting Notes

Nose: Also very rich, also very jammy, but this one’s even more luscious and intense than the earlier Barbaresco. Notes of tar and cigar intertwine with the sweetness, while a hint of Dr. Pepper (or perhaps F&N Cherryade) a rather playful unexpected twist.

Palate: The entry is rich and round, mirroring the nose, but with a heightened sweetness. Red and dark fruits mingle harmoniously with liquorice, while powerful tannins gradually begin to build, adding structure and complexity without overwhelming the palate.

Finish: A long, lingering finish leaves the tannins clinging to the tongue, accompanied by the lingering sweetness of liquorice and Hacks candy.

My Thoughts

While still quite easy to drink, this Barolo showcases a greater power and intensity than the Barbaresco. The balance between sweetness and liquorice layers is also very masterfully executed. This complex and enjoyable wine that is probably my favourite red of today’s lineup.

Contratto, Metodo Classico Millesimato Pas Dose 2019 

Moving on to Contratto, next up, we have a sparkling wine made of the Méthode Champenoise.

This wine is made of grapes harvested from a vineyard 800 metres in elevation in Piedmont, described by the winery as an ideal altitude for growing a riper, sweeter and more balanced fruit.

Interestingly, I’m told that this dry sparkling wine has zero dosage added to it (“Pas Dose” in its name should have given me a hint). Now, most sparkling wine makers of the Méthode Champenoise school tend to add a small mixture of wine and sugar to slightly sweeten their bubblies before permanently bottling them.

Tasting Notes 

Nose: Opens with a bright, yeasty aroma, along with fresh ripe pears. A subtle sweetness intertwines with a lightly citric note, while a somewhat briny, savoury character almost evokes parma ham and the salty essence of sea breeze.

Palate: Fine effervescence dances on the tongue, accompanied by a pronounced but balanced dryness that, thankfully, never becomes overwhelming. A hint of chalkiness adds texture, while some intriguing tannins emerge, growing drier and sharper as it evolves. A touch of minerality and a zesty citrus peel note playfully prickle the back of the tongue.

Finish: The finish is quite fleeting, quickly cleansing the palate, leaving behind a subtle, bready, yeasty aftertaste.

My Thoughts

Very drinkable and beautifully layered. It offers a dry-style sparkling that is nonetheless balanced by the inherent sweetness of the ripe grapes used to make this. The subtle zesty prickliness does adds a very refreshing dimension, while the overall structure remains remarkably firm. A very enjoyable sparkling wine that gives expensive Champagne a run for its money.

Contratto, Barbaresco DOCG Baluchin 2014

Tasting Notes

Nose: A complex bouquet; liquorice intertwines with black fruits and herbaceous mint. Sweet oakiness emerges to add another layer.

Palate: A burst of jammy fruitiness fills the mouth, with plums taking centre stage alongside indistinct dark fruits. The oak influence is still present but subtle, allowing the fruit to shine. The tannins, however, are quite pronounced, quickly becoming dominant as the wine progresses.

Finish: Marked by heavy tannins that linger on the palate, accompanied by a spicy bite that tingles the back of the throat.

My Thoughts

While the nose promises complexity, the tannins seem to overshadow the fruit and other flavours on the palate and finish, detracting from the overall enjoyment of this Barbaresco. This is great on the nose, but perhaps requires a bit more aging and decanting to provide a more balanced palate.

Final Thoughts

All in all, this tasting was a real eye-opener. I’m really impressed by the range of styles and the clear influence of terroir in these wines. The Barbaresco, from that sandy soil, was so elegant and approachable - a real treat to drink young. On the other hand,that Barolo Vigneto Garretti, grown in clay, was a powerhouse of structure and intensity, showing how much of a difference soil can make.

If I had to pick a favourite red, it'd have to be the Barolo. It was intense and complex, yet the sweetness harmoniously balanced out the tannins beautifully, making it powerful but still really easy to drink.

And let's not forget that Contratto sparkler! What a delightful surprise. It was nicely layered and so refreshing, with plenty of fruit to balance the dryness. It's a fantastic option if you're looking to explore something slightly different with the complexity and quality of Champagne. Price point-wise, this is also highly underrated compared to its French counterpart.

It really does show the incredible quality and diversity you can find in these two wineries. Whether you're a bubbly lover or an austere red wine lover, there's something here for everyone to enjoy.

@CharsiuCharlie