Antoniolo ‘Osso San Grato’ Gattinara Riserva DOCG 2018

Why is this Wine so Yummy?

‘Osso San Grato’ – The Bones of Saint Grato is arguably the finest vineyard in Gattinara and a monopole that is handled organically by the Antoniolo family, often yielding one of the world’s finest Nebbiolo wines. Sitting between 300 and 450 metres above sea level, this rocky site yields finely structured, haunting wine that will cellar and evolve for decades. Spontaneous, long fermentation is fuelled by indigenous yeasts and extraction is ever so gentle.

These wines have sported the qualification of ‘Riserva’ since the 2015 vintage, even though they have always been made in this fashion (3 years in large old Slavonian oak + 1 year in bottle).

About Antoniolo

Antoniolo is considered by many to be the most important reference-point estate in Gattinara, Alto Piemonte’s most well-known appellation. It is run by brother and sister team Alberto and Lorella Antoniolo but was established in 1948 by their grandfather Mario. In the 1950s and 60s, when many Italians were fleeing the countryside for work in Piedmont’s factories, Antoniolo was snapping up the area’s best vineyards. By the 1970s, they had an enviable collection of Gattinara’s top crus, including a monopole on the Osso San Grato vineyard. In 1974, Rosanna Antoniolo, Mario’s daughter and Alberto and Lorella’s mother, accepted the suggestion of Italy’s most famous wine journalist, Luigi Veronelli, and bottled her Osso San Grato and San Francesco as single vineyard wines.

Antoniolo remains a reference point for Gattinara and Alto Piemonte. As always, the Castelle and San Francesco have a touch of French oak sheen that renders the wines very easy to enjoy on the young side. The Osso San Grato is aged entirely in cask and, therefore, has more classic lines. It remains one of the benchmark wines of Gattinara and Alto Piemonte. As good as the single-vineyard bottlings are, readers should not pass up the straight Gattinara, which is now also released as a Riserva. It’s a fine introduction to this stellar range.

Eric Guido Vinous

Though a few producers in the Langhe were already doing this, it was revolutionary for Gattinara. Today the estate has 14 hectares under vine, and brother and sister follow the strict guidelines of their pioneering mother. Fermentations are done slowly in concrete vats with indigenous yeasts, and all of the Gattinaras are aged as long as Riservas, even if they only started carrying the designation in the 2015 vintage.

Lorella has been running the Consorzio of Alto Piemonte – taking the region’s wines to the world. The cru wines are based on old vine Nebbiolo (60s/70s plantings) positioned in prime south facing sites, roots buried deep in the volcanic soil of the region. These wines are the heart and soul of this ancient Nebbiolo terroir in the foothills of the Alps.

In the Vineyard

Integrated pest management with low doses of copper and sulfur. No systemic products or chemical fertilizers are used. Natural cover crops are left on the rows between the vines. Very low doses of SO₂ used in the wines.

‘Osso San Grato’ Gattinara Riserva 

100% Nebbiolo from estate’s single vineyard ‘Osso San Grato’ cru at 500 meters above sea level
5.0 hectares of 60 year old vines in volcanic soil

‘San Francesco Grato’ Gattinara Riserva 

100% Nebbiolo from estate’s single vineyard ‘San Francesco’ cru.
3.5 hectare single vineyard, planted in 1960 on volcanic soils of igneous and metamorphic rocks of granite, quartz and iron, also mineral sands from old glacial deposits. Selected for its particular aromatic complexity and long ageing potential. Vineyard is steep and cover crops are a must between rows to mitigate erosion.

Fermented on the skins for 20 days, aged 18 months in tonneaux; 1/2 old, 1/2 new – then another 18 months in 30 Hl cask. Production 4,700 bottles.

Gattinara Riserva

100% Nebbiolo from estate vineyards.
50-60 year old vines planted in volcanic soils with south/southwest exposure.

In the Winery

Spontaneous fermentation with maceration lasts 18 days. Fermented in cement tank.
Aged in 36 months in 25-30 hectoliter Slavonian or French oak casks.
Aged one year in bottle for prior to release.

Where in the World is Antoniolo?

Gattinara in the Province of Vercelli in the northern part of the Piedemont region. 150km north of Barolo and 70km West of Milan.

Antoniolo’s holdings in Gattinara are in the communes of Osso San Grato, San Francesco & Castelle .