Each year, we try to get our hands on as much of this wine as possible when it arrives from Italy. In addition to being a sentimental favorite, the Nebbiolo d’Alba “Valmaggione” from Brovia—one of Barolo’s undisputed elite producers—is also one of the best values in the region.
This wine is made in Barolo in the same cellar as all Brovia’s top wines, yet is sourced from a renowned vineyard site just north of the DOCG boundary and is classified as Nebbiolo d’Alba. Simply put, this wine is one of the most outstanding values in Piedmont and a no-brainer for your cellar. Year after year this wine over-delivers in every way. It always drinks beautifully in its youth—but if you put away a case in your cellar, you will strike gold when it hits optimal maturity three years from now.
The Brovia family estate was founded in the 1860s and is widely recognized as one of the region’s modern classics. While the family’s reputation is based on an impressive collection of parcels in Barolo sub-villages Castiglione Falletto and Serralunga d’Alba, this wine originates from a more obscure site. The Valmaggiore vineyard (the vineyard has an “R”; the wine an “N”) clings to a hillside in Vezza d’Alba, 30 minutes north of Barolo; higher in elevation and considerably cooler, Valmaggiore is an extraordinarily steep and sandy vineyard which makes it a challenge to farm and maintain. However, the effort is worthwhile—this is one of the most respected non-Barolo/Barbaresco Nebbiolo vineyards in Piedmont, with a reputation for producing timeless wines with impressive depth and character.
This wine is also unique in Brovia’s Nebbiolo pantheon in that it spends no time in oak barrels. The combination of cooler climate, higher elevation, and a light touch in the cellar creates a wine of stunning purity—it expresses variety, vintage and terroir; not invasive cellar technique. Finally, I should mention that the Brovia family makes very very little of this release. There are roughly 200 cases bottled each vintage, less than half of which makes it to the US.
The 2013 Nebbiolo d’Alba “Valmaggione” has a deep, yet still translucent crimson hue—and as with all authentic young Nebbiolo, there is a slight orange tint to the rim. On the nose, it projects powerful cherry fruit, kirsch liqueur, wild mountain herbs, blue and purple flowers, fennel pollen, truffles and white pepper. On the palate, it is everything I want from young drinking Nebbiolo—deep black cherry fruit, mouthwatering tannins, and an eternal finish. Still, this wine’s most dominant trait is its energy and “lift.” The sandy terroir at the Valmaggione vineyard imparts momentum and freshness that keeps this wine lively and delicious throughout the entire bottle. Please decant for 1 hour before serving in a large Burgundy stem. If you want a perfect companion for this delicious wine, I strongly recommend you prepare
Mario Batali’s timeless Spaghetti all Carbonara recipe. This rich and deeply satisfying dish is the perfect counterpoint for such a memorable and electric wine. Cheers!
