Colombera & Garella Lessona Crose 2021

Colombera & Garella work in Lessona, in Alto Piemonte, the rugged country at the foot of the Alps where Nebbiolo was grown long before it reached the Langhe. The defining terroir here is the soil, ancient marine sands that are acidic and iron-rich, very different from the calcareous marls of Barolo, and they give a lighter, more perfumed and finely framed style of Nebbiolo. The northern, cooler climate extends ripening and locks in the grape's high acidity and firm tannin, while the poor sandy ground keeps yields low and the fruit concentrated. The wine is aged twenty-four months in oak barrels followed by six months in concrete tanks, the long, slow maturation softening Nebbiolo's grippy tannins through gentle oxygen exchange while the concrete preserves freshness before bottling. Farming is natural and sustainable. It is a pale garnet. The nose is intense and classic, with red cherry, redcurrant, dried rose, tobacco and forest floor; the palate is medium-bodied and structured, with high acidity, fine but persistent tannins and a long, savoury, earthy finish. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees, decanted, with braised beef, game or mushroom dishes.