Wines Gattinara Vegis - Gattinara Riserva - 2017

Viniou Reviews

The Vegis Gattinara Riserva 2017 is a red wine from the historic Gattinara DOC appellation in the northern reaches of Piedmont, Italy. Gattinara is renowned for its noble expression of Nebbiolo, locally termed Spanna, and your bottle is a classic Riserva, indicating extended maturation before release. The 2017 vintage in Gattinara produced wines with excellent structure and vibrant aromatics, owing to a balanced growing season and careful vineyard management. This Riserva is typically aged for at least three years, with a significant portion of that time spent in oak, allowing the complex character of Nebbiolo to unfold. Expect a wine of garnet hue, offering fragrant notes of wild cherry, rose petal, dried herbs and subtle spice, underpinned by earthy minerality and silky but assertive tannins. The finish is long, with a refined acidity that promises further evolution in the cellar.

Gattinara lies in the mountainous northern Piedmont, nestled in the shadow of the Alps. The high-altitude vineyards (up to 500 metres) benefit from cooling alpine breezes, helping the Nebbiolo grape achieve full phenolic ripeness while maintaining elegance and freshness. The soils here are unique—volcanic in origin with a mix of porphyry, granite, and red rocky minerals—imparting a distinctive minerality found only in Gattinara. The region's ancient winemaking history stretches back to Roman times, and Gattinara was once considered as prestigious as Barolo and Barbaresco. Its current renaissance is driven by dedicated producers like Vegis who champion authenticity and tradition.

Such a structured and aromatic red pairs beautifully with classic north Italian cuisine. Serve it with braised beef cheek, osso buco, or a rich risotto al Barolo. Truffled dishes, wild mushroom tagliatelle or aged cheeses such as Piemonte’s Castelmagno will complement the wine's complexity and tannic grip.

For optimal enjoyment, decant the wine for at least an hour to soften the tannins and unlock its bouquet. Serve at a temperature of 16-18°C. This Gattinara Riserva is drinking well now but will reward patient cellaring for another 5-10 years.