Vallana Spanna Colline Novaresi 2016

92 points John Gilman (View From the Cellar): “The Colline Novaresi is Vallana’s ‘regular’ bottling of Spanna, made from old vines that the family is careful to always replant with selection massale from the same genetic material, to retain the character of this traditional strain of Nebbiolo. The wine is fermented in cement tanks and then aged for six months in botti prior to bottling. The 2016 Colline Novaresi is a simply beautiful young wine, wafting from the glass in a mix of cherries, bonfire, spit-roasted gamebird, roses, a lovely base of soil tones and a topnote of fresh oregano. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and beautifully transparent, with a lovely core, superb balance and focus and a long, modestly tannic, tangy and complex finish. If Barolo is the Chambertin or Richebourg of Piemonte, then Spanna could well be the Chambolle-Musigny! This is a superb wine- not a powerful wine, but loaded with intensity of flavor, complexity and beautiful soil signature. 2020-2045. (Jul/Aug 2020)”

90 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): “The 2016 Spanna is a beautifully translucent, expressive wine that will delight readers who admire unadorned Nebbiolo. Crushed flowers, sweet red berry fruit, mint, licorice and rose petal all waft from the glass as this mid-weight finely cut Spanna shows off its considerable charms. This is such a gorgeous wine. Drink: 2020-2031. (Sep 2020)”