La Spinetta

Bruno, Carlo, and Giorgio Rivetti are the three brothers behind the famed La Spinetta estate, which was founded by their parents in 1977. La Spinetta has become a modern Italian superstar winery, producing some of Piemonte's most delicious wines at their main estate in Castagnole Lanze and their newer 'Campè' estate (acquired in 2000) in Grinzane Cavour. Enologist Stephane Mazzetta, who settled in at La Spinetta several years ago after working at other top Langhe wineries, implements and oversees the work in La Spinetta’s stunning, first-class cellars that handle grapes from 100 hectares of vineyards. Three Barbarescos - Gallina, Valeirano, and Starderi - are produced as well as a single Barolo, a Moscato Passito called 'Oro,' and several others. In 2001 the brothers bought 65 hectares more and established the budding 'Casanova' estate, where they were excited to develop three pure Sangiovese wines to express the inimitable land of Toscana just as they had done at home in Piemonte. All three locations craft their wines using state-of-the-art equipment, including rotary fermenters and the most sophisticated grape presses on the market. After vinification, all the wines are aged in 100% new French oak barriques. Though clearly crafted with an 'international' leaning, these wines are not overly 'modern.' The barrique effect doesn’t mask the fruit and allows the underlying Piemontese pedigree to shine through.