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BARBERA D'ASTI "CA' DI PIAN" 2003. Their entry level Barbera (although probably way above many of their rivals' top cuvées) is matured in 5% new oak and 95% one year old barriques. 50% of the vines are very young, so the preponderance of older barriques is deemed essential. Despite the youthfulness of some of the vines, the wine was surprisingly complex with good varietal flavours. This wine has suppleness to drink now but will keep for several years to come. 86pts.
BARBERA D'ASTI SUPERIORE "BIONZO" 2003. There is big fruit on the nose here but much elegance on the palate and an excellent balance of fruit and acidity. Imagine a lithe and lissom athlete on the starting blocks waiting to be catapulted into an explosive run! This will probably run and run and run, although it is certainly approachable now. 91pts.
BARBERA D'ALBA "GALLINA" 2003. Personally, I have always preferred the Barberas from Alba rather than Asti and this one is no exception. If the Bionzo was an athlete, then this Gallina is a superb ballet dancer. One is certainly impressed by the grace and smoothness of the wine, even at this early stage of its development and the complexity of the finish could well qualify it for a spot of ice dancing as well! Again, this is a wine that you can easily enjoy now, but could be cellared for a considerable time to come. 93pts.
"PIN" 2003. This was the Rivetti's original "international" wine - Nebbiolo, Barbera and a good dollop of Cabernet Sauvignon to satisfy Anglo-Saxon tastes - and, of course, it worked, with some sensational reviews from the great and the good reviewers. However, over the years the Rivettis have sought to reduce the Cabernet content in this blend in order to achieve a better expression of the terroir and now for the first time the blend consists only of Nebbiolo (65%) and Barbera (35%). Certainly, the Cabernet isn't missed and this could be described as one of the finest examples of this blend we have ever tasted. The sweet fruit that could be normally associated with the Cabernet still appears to be there - a result of picking ripe fruit and a judicious use of oak, producing incredible balance and enormous complexity. 95 pts.
BARBARESCO 2002. 2002 was a difficult year in Piemonte, rain, hail and other adverse conditions were enough to tear the hair (and the heart) out of many a producer in the area. The good producers made as good a silk purse out of the sow's ear of a vintage as they could and the Rivettis were no exception. So, instead of producing three different single vineyard Barbarescos, they pooled the best results from each of them...
BARBERA D'ASTI SUPERIORE "BIONZO" 2003. There is big fruit on the nose here but much elegance on the palate and an excellent balance of fruit and acidity. Imagine a lithe and lissom athlete on the starting blocks waiting to be catapulted into an explosive run! This will probably run and run and run, although it is certainly approachable now. 91pts.
BARBERA D'ALBA "GALLINA" 2003. Personally, I have always preferred the Barberas from Alba rather than Asti and this one is no exception. If the Bionzo was an athlete, then this Gallina is a superb ballet dancer. One is certainly impressed by the grace and smoothness of the wine, even at this early stage of its development and the complexity of the finish could well qualify it for a spot of ice dancing as well! Again, this is a wine that you can easily enjoy now, but could be cellared for a considerable time to come. 93pts.
"PIN" 2003. This was the Rivetti's original "international" wine - Nebbiolo, Barbera and a good dollop of Cabernet Sauvignon to satisfy Anglo-Saxon tastes - and, of course, it worked, with some sensational reviews from the great and the good reviewers. However, over the years the Rivettis have sought to reduce the Cabernet content in this blend in order to achieve a better expression of the terroir and now for the first time the blend consists only of Nebbiolo (65%) and Barbera (35%). Certainly, the Cabernet isn't missed and this could be described as one of the finest examples of this blend we have ever tasted. The sweet fruit that could be normally associated with the Cabernet still appears to be there - a result of picking ripe fruit and a judicious use of oak, producing incredible balance and enormous complexity. 95 pts.
BARBARESCO 2002. 2002 was a difficult year in Piemonte, rain, hail and other adverse conditions were enough to tear the hair (and the heart) out of many a producer in the area. The good producers made as good a silk purse out of the sow's ear of a vintage as they could and the Rivettis were no exception. So, instead of producing three different single vineyard Barbarescos, they pooled the best results from each of them...
...and made just a "Barbaresco", with very passable results. Whilst there is no lack of finesse or complexity on the finish, the fruit is a little bit on the lean side and makes for both easier and earlier drinking whilst you are waiting from the wines of superior vintages to mature. An added bonus is the fact that the wine is being released at around two-thirds of the price of the single vineyards wines - although that is not particularly cheap either. Nevertheless, it's still pretty good Barbarseco! 90pts.
BAROLO "CAMPÉ" 2001. This is the second vintage of this Barolo that Giorgio Rivetti has produced and is well ahead of the first in quality, mainly due to better husbandry of the vines. The oak has integrated well with the fruit to enhance the complexity on the finish, and coupled with the richness and ripeness of the fruit, makes this a stunning wine. Just about approachable now, it will improve for several years and I would expect it to reach even higher scores on re-tasting over the next decade. For the moment, I'll just give it 96pts., but I will be looking forward to tasting this again and again and again! (if there is any left!) The 2003, tasted in barrique, (none made in 2002) starts off at 97 pts. for me, but that's another story - to be continued when it is in the bottle! 96pts. (‘03: 97pts.)
MOSCATO "BIANCOSPINO" 2005. Now back to the original Rivetti masterpiece, the Moscato. "Biancospino" is traditionally bottled in late November of the vintage year, to preserve it's freshness and lightness and this year is no exception with the lovely, grapey, Muscat fruit so delicately and finely turned into a refreshing pétillant wine of great finesse. The 4.5% alcohol does allow you to finish four bottles and still stay sober (well, relatively) which makes it one of the most more-ish wines in the world. 85pts.
Those who would prefer a little more weight to their Moscato will have to wait until the "BRICCO QUAGLIA"is bottled in February and may also have to cope with another degree of alcohol, but that shouldn't detract from the enjoyment!
LA SPINETTA wines can be found in the UK at
The Wine Treasury www.winetreasury.com
Enotria Winecellars www.enotria.co.uk
BAROLO "CAMPÉ" 2001. This is the second vintage of this Barolo that Giorgio Rivetti has produced and is well ahead of the first in quality, mainly due to better husbandry of the vines. The oak has integrated well with the fruit to enhance the complexity on the finish, and coupled with the richness and ripeness of the fruit, makes this a stunning wine. Just about approachable now, it will improve for several years and I would expect it to reach even higher scores on re-tasting over the next decade. For the moment, I'll just give it 96pts., but I will be looking forward to tasting this again and again and again! (if there is any left!) The 2003, tasted in barrique, (none made in 2002) starts off at 97 pts. for me, but that's another story - to be continued when it is in the bottle! 96pts. (‘03: 97pts.)
MOSCATO "BIANCOSPINO" 2005. Now back to the original Rivetti masterpiece, the Moscato. "Biancospino" is traditionally bottled in late November of the vintage year, to preserve it's freshness and lightness and this year is no exception with the lovely, grapey, Muscat fruit so delicately and finely turned into a refreshing pétillant wine of great finesse. The 4.5% alcohol does allow you to finish four bottles and still stay sober (well, relatively) which makes it one of the most more-ish wines in the world. 85pts.
Those who would prefer a little more weight to their Moscato will have to wait until the "BRICCO QUAGLIA"is bottled in February and may also have to cope with another degree of alcohol, but that shouldn't detract from the enjoyment!
LA SPINETTA wines can be found in the UK at
The Wine Treasury www.winetreasury.com
Enotria Winecellars www.enotria.co.uk
