Antonio Vallana, Colline Novaresi, Spanna Cuvee Bernardo Vallana

Very good but finish is moderately drying even on day 2 after a good decant on day 1. Will wait to open subsequent bottles.

2010 vintage

Quite tannic and acidic. Hard to rate. DND

2010 vintage

this one is a break from standard notes to editorialize. the wine is dark cherry bass notes with mint and tar on a lithe and elegant black tea chassis. but this type of bottle is sort of the point of studying and applying an academic approach to wines. the qpr on this wine is just through the roof. stepping back this is a relatively cheap bottle from a less publicized region born of an outstanding vintage. 14 years out it …

2010 vintage

One of my prior notes complained about the “cheap” synthetic cork that closed this wine. After 12 bottles, every single one of these has been wonderful, and if you look at the cork in the mouth of the blue hippo in one of the pictures for this wine, the seal looks like it did back in 2016. Diam is awesome, and hats off to Vallana for being an early adopter. The wine is still youthful, with flavors and aromas consistent …

2010 vintage

PnP that's firmly in its preferred window; clearly has another decade+ at a high level. Medium-bodied, slight browning at the rim. With 90 minutes of air, the intensity of aromas significantly improved. In the first moments after the cork was removed there was an overwhelming tomato leaf, soil, barn, etc. thing going on that would have dissuaded many. But, after twenty minutes of aeration in wide bottom decanter, it began to come together. If I had it to do over, …

2010 vintage

Red cherry, black truffle, cardamom, fenugree, cumin, bitter herbs (as in Amaro) on the nose. Very fruit backward with a great intensity of aromas. The palate adds blood and roasted meat but keeps every flavor from the nose. It feels like the non fruit flavors surround the fruit flavors if that makes sense. Medium body, medium + acid with some very nice and very much present medium tannin at 13 years old. The minute + long finish feels like it …

2010 vintage

Raring to go after 2 hour in wide bottom decanter. That said, I'll wait another 2-4 years before the next one. An insane value; highly traditional styling. The last few drops were the best/most complex. Lovely. highly recommended+ http://www.italianwine.blog

2010 vintage

Agree completely with MrOctoberfest. This is the first bottle I've tried that I can say is drinkable right out of the bottle. Still challenging, but in a good, chewy way. And it promises a lot more development over the next decade. I think in Italian wines this is one of the great bargains. It ranks with Calabretta Rosso (a little more expensive but an even greater wine). Either gives as much joy as many Barolos.

2010 vintage

This is starting to soften up. The tannins are still there but could no longer strip paint. Really good Alto Piedmont wine that is an ideal accompaniment to a weekday dinner.

2010 vintage

This is a big, rustic Nebbiolo with a strong tannic profile; decanted for four hours, it was much better on nights two and three, which is consistent with the experiences of other CT members. I will keep my other bottles for the 25-35 drinking window. Introverted on night one, it eventually showed lots of tart red fruits, cranberries, raspberries and a deep vein of tar. Some mid-palate sweetness developed on nights two and three. It closes with dominant tannins and …

2010 vintage

I bought a case of this so have the ability to taste as the years progress. Unlike Vallana's regular Spanna bottling and the supposedly lighter Campi Raudii bottling, this top of the line bottle is a puzzle. Although light in body, it remains tight as a drum with unexpressive nose, ripe but light mouth texture and simple, charmless flavors. I agree with other posts that this is far better after 24 hours. The nose begins to express pressed roses and …

2010 vintage

It’s kind of dormant right now. After 4 hours in the decanter, it reached its stride. Much more expressive on day 2. A little bit of VA and drying tannins complement some red fruit and baking spice. There is a tiny bit of road tar and some other things that make one think of Nebbiolo, but I’m not sure that I could identify this blind as such. Very nice, and probably still 5 years away from what should be at …

2010 vintage

Still tannic but much more approachable than when we first tried it!

2010 vintage

So tight. We PNPed because we were already rather inebriated, but that was a bad idea (not one to be repeated). Tart cranberries, raspberries, sour cherry, mustard seed, anise. Wonderful aromatics. This really should not be touched for 10 years.

2010 vintage

decant again in 2-3 years, and then drinking well for > 15 yrs. has the stuffing to go the distance.

2010 vintage

Pop & pour, which is the worst way to serve this wine, but i keep a stash of wine at my parents house, and this was the most appropriate one for dinner tonight. Beautiful structure, and sour cherries and cranberries on the nose and palate, but this wine is still almost impenetrable. It improves with decanting and an hour of air, but don’t even think about opening this right now unless you have two hours to let it breathe (eight …

2010 vintage

Lovely neb right in my wheelhouse right now. Light to medium body bright cherry strawberry and earth.

2010 vintage

From memory. I have waited very patiently and am sure this will last a long time, but at present this is a lovely light-bodied full-flavored nebbiolo. Enjoyed with lamb chops.

2010 vintage

Bright fresh fruit at the core with mineral notes and tannin sometimes obscuring it. Surprisingly different from prior bottles. Not terribly different on night 2.

2010 vintage

Color shows no age. Aromas are slow to emerge on the PnP, eventually warm cherries, soil, some tar, and savory herbs. Medium-bodied, red/dark red fruits, with a good bit of extract on the palate. Certainly drinkable now, but with every sip the wine says "wait, not quite there yet". Next one in 3 years. 12,5% abv. Easily recommended * update * day 3 (fridge), it's only gotten better, wow https://www.ItalianWine.blog

2010 vintage

Definitely rustic. Much more open and soft than before, but still the tannins come out with some air. Enjoyable lighter side of Nebbiolo.

2010 vintage

Drank over two days. Still bringing the bright red fruits and berries in torrents, with strong strawberry and raspberry compote and preserves, acerola smoothie, rosehips, hibiscus, and petrol derivative elements, along with exotic spices and hints of candied citrus peel, backed by medium plus to high acid and rockin' minerality. Highly reminiscent of Barbaresco. This should last another decade or more and could improve. 91-92. Excellent QPR.

2010 vintage

Decanted at 11am for an 8pm dinner. Initially really tight and not expressive. After 4 hours, had a really vivid aroma of Violet's and nail polish remover (which was actually very pleasant). By hour 9, it had settled down, tasting of cherries, stewed plums and balsamic. Tannins were prominent but not overbearing. This is still several years from reaching it's potential.

2010 vintage

2 years ago this was a brutal tannic monster, tonight it's red fruited and earthy. Light to medium body, gains some complexity with air and went well with roasted chicken. IMO it's starting to open.

2010 vintage

Probably shut down. This offered essentially nothing on the first night. On night two the fruit and earthy elements come through but the whole thing is fairly muted. I'll plan to wait a few years before checking in on another.

2010 vintage

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Antonio Vallana, Colline Novaresi, Spanna Cuvee Bernardo Vallana

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