Bramaterra and Coste della Sesia from Odilio Antoniotti
Antoniotti Profile
Quick Facts
Name of Estate
Odilio Antoniotti
Region
Piemonte
Country
Italy
Proprietor
Odilio and Mattia Antoniotti
Size
Seven Hectares
Farming
Not Certified
Soils
Volcanic Porphyry (Granite)
Grapes grown
Nebbiolo, Croatina, Vespolina, Uva Rara
Fun facts
Bramaterra and Coste della Sesia are such tiny appellations that only eight producers make wine in the former and twenty in the latter. The vines are only accessible through a long, steep and narrow path in a 4x4 vehicle.
Bramaterra and Coste della Sesia are such tiny appellations that only eight producers make wine in the former and twenty in the latter. The vines are only accessible through a long, steep and narrow path in a 4x4 vehicle.
Read more
Quick Facts
Name of Estate
Odilio Antoniotti
Region
Piemonte
Country
Italy
Proprietor
Odilio and Mattia Antoniotti
Size
Seven Hectares
Farming
Not Certified
Soils
Volcanic Porphyry (Granite)
Grapes grown
Nebbiolo, Croatina, Vespolina, Uva Rara
Fun facts
Bramaterra and Coste della Sesia are such tiny appellations that only eight producers make wine in the former and twenty in the latter. The vines are only accessible through a long, steep and narrow path in a 4x4 vehicle.
<p>The Antoniotti family has been making wine in their town of Casa del Bosco (Sostegno) in northern <glossary title="793">Piemonte</glossary> for generations. Today Odilio, along with his son Mattia, work the vines and make the wines in the same traditional manner. </p>
<p>They currently work six <glossary title="523">hectares</glossary> in two of Italy's smallest <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="1156">DOC's</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <glossary title="193">Bramaterra</glossary> and <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="344">Coste della Sesia</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> <glossary title="193">Bramaterra</glossary> is truly microscopic, with only a handful of <glossary title="1089">vignaioli</glossary> producing it. <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="344">Coste della Sesia</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> while still small, is a broader 33 <glossary title="523">hectare</glossary> <glossary title="113">appellation</glossary> that overlaps with <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="193">Bramaterra</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="1219">Gattinara</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <glossary title="1220">Lessona</glossary> and many others: usually the wines receive this <glossary term="Appellation" title="113">appellation </glossary>when they aren't as qualitative. A good example: four of the Antoniottis' six <glossary title="523">hectares</glossary> fall within the <glossary title="193">Bramaterra</glossary> <glossary title="113">appellation</glossary> but only two are <glossary title="1104">vinified</glossary> as such. </p>
<p>Both <glossary title="113">appellations</glossary> are <glossary title="709">Nebbiolo</glossary> dominant, but the wines are always <glossary title="168">blended</glossary> with various amounts of <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="175">Croatina</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <glossary title="1086">Vespolina</glossary> and <glossary title="1060">Uva Rara</glossary> depending on the <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="1109">vintage</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> <glossary title="193">Bramaterra</glossary> needs to be <glossary title="74">aged</glossary> at least 22 months in <glossary title="142">barrel</glossary> before <glossary title="185">bottling</glossary>; the Antoniotti do 30 months. Their <glossary title="344">Coste della Sesia</glossary> <glossary title="74">ages</glossary> for 18 months before <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="185">bottling</glossary><span>.</span></span></span></p>
<p>The soils here are <glossary title="1117">volcanic</glossary> <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="816">porphyry</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> a type of <glossary title="502">granite</glossary> rich in minerals. The vineyard work is done using <glossary title="518">guyot</glossary> training, only <glossary title="993">sulfur</glossary> and <glossary title="333">copper</glossary> treatments at minimal levels, <glossary title="746">organic</glossary> <glossary title="323">compost</glossary> but no <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="442">fertilizers</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> Grapes are <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="520">picked by hand</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="378">destemmed</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <glossary title="441">fermented</glossary> in underground <glossary title="325">cement tanks</glossary> for about 12-14 days, <glossary title="843">racked</glossary> into <glossary title="986">stainless steel</glossary> for <glossary title="622">malo</glossary> and put into <glossary title="142">barrels</glossary> around the end of December (or left in <glossary title="986">stainless</glossary> in the case of "Pramartel"). There is no <glossary title="449">fining</glossary> or <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="447">filtration</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> <glossary title="993">Sulfur</glossary> use has lowered over the years: the Antoniotti currently only add some on their <glossary title="521">harvest</glossary> before <glossary title="1104">vinification</glossary> in order to block any insects or leaves to interfere with the <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="441">fermentation</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> </p>
producer visit14.08.2019
A Visit with Odilio Antoniotti
This visit with Odilio Antoniotti took place in May, 2014
<p><strong><em>This visit with Odilio Antoniotti took place in May, 2014</em></strong></p>
<p><strong><em>Words by Jules Dressner, photos by Jill Berheimer, Josefa Concannon and David Norris.</em></strong></p>
<p>When you've travelled all the way from another continent to visit an <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="427">estate</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> the last thing you want is getting rained out. It really "dampens" the mood! <br />
<br />
This was unfortunately the case as we pulled up to Casa del Bosco to visit father/son team Odilio and Mattia Antoniotti. In the winter it's not the end of the world since the vines are hibernating and it's cold as hell. But when you've just landed in Italy in early May and the vines are bursting full of vigor and life, you definitely want to spend as much time outside as possible. Alas, the rain was coming down hard and it looked like it was going to be an "inside only" visit...<br />
<br />
Luckily, the Antoniottis have some nice inside stuff to visit. For example, their really old <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="254">cellar</glossary><span>:</span></span></span> </p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//c9/39/c939fb8295fdbfc68e7856c84ed95bb1.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//e6/67/e66732d195b3c1f01ab9ecd8f621784a.jpg" /><br />
The <glossary term="Cellar" title="254">cellar</glossary> is directly under their family house, divided in two parts and dates back to the late 1700's. What you see here is the <glossary title="1104">vinification</glossary> area. <br />
<br />
Grapes come in through this window:</p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//01/b0/01b0320b2a9b5d23bab5606bb0e9198f.jpg" /></p>
<p>All of the wine <glossary title="441">ferments</glossary> in these large <glossary title="325">concrete vats</glossary> from 1910. </p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//f5/73/f573054104b4454654f837ac64468e93.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//7d/b2/7db2f9e8a959319621ca146db73e0d55.jpg" /></p>
<p>There used to only be a single huge <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="1140">vat</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> but Odilio split it in half to focus on more precise <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="1104">vinifications</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> The grapes are <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="378">destemmed</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> and <glossary title="87">fermentations</glossary> take about three weeks with two to three <glossary title="850">remontages</glossary> a day. The wine then <glossary title="299">clarifies</glossary> (<glossary term="Decanting" title="381">decants</glossary>) in <glossary title="986">stainless steel</glossary> before being <glossary title="843">racked</glossary> to <glossary title="142">barrel</glossary> about a month later to age. Many of their <glossary title="142">barrels</glossary> are made from oak chopped down from their own land. <br />
<br />
The Antoniotti family produces two <glossary title="1156">D.O.C</glossary> wines: <glossary title="193">Bramaterra</glossary> and <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="344">Coste della Sesia</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> Both are <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="113">micro-appellations</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> with only eight producers <glossary title="185">bottling</glossary> <glossary title="193">Bramaterra</glossary> and 20 for <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="344">Coste della Sesia</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> <br />
<br />
<em>"And each grower has a tiny annual production." </em><br />
<br />
Factoid:<strong> </strong>the tiny village of Casa del Bosco was originally built as a lord's hunting resort. The historical reason vines were planted in the area is because the lord and his crew naturally needed wine to celebrate after the hunt! <br />
<br />
Moving on, Mattia showed us their <glossary title="573">labeling</glossary> room where they hand-<span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="573">label</glossary> </span></span>EVERY SINGLE BOTTLE ONE AT A TIME WITH GLUE AND A PAINT BRUSH!</p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//e6/88/e688d50d7e26e895deb232685e79dd94.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//b2/fc/b2fc03a05bf7ec7dc6ee40a36bb809bf.jpg" /></p>
<p>That's what I call attention to detail!<br />
<br />
From the <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="254">cellar</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> we trekked upwards to the Antoniotti's semi-formal tasting room. Old bottles were proudly on display, including this 1964 produced by Odilio's grandfather. </p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//c7/ff/c7ff9a92036b8d4f8d12ccdbb9b6e13f.jpg" /></p>
<p>From the tasting room, a large window faces a large hill right by the house. </p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//cd/b4/cdb433dfde2e512967a2231e3da2bce6.jpg" /></p>
<p><em>"50 years ago, this entire hillside was planted in vineyards."</em><br />
<br />
Before getting to down to business, Mattia busted out some local cheeses. </p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//c5/50/c5502a50ef33f09d7441cc35e4d995a5.jpg" /><br />
<br />
There was also some Prosciutto thrown in for good measure. </p>
<p>Finally, there was some wine to taste!</p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//f2/98/f29822a5a7e325775ea168cd58063eea.jpg" /></p>
<p>We started the tasting with a first time experiment, a delicious <glossary title="871">Rosato</glossary> made from 24 hour <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="887">saignée</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> It follows the same <glossary title="168">blend</glossary> as the <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="193">Bramaterra</glossary><span>:</span></span></span> 70% <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="709">Nebbiolo</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> 20% <glossary title="175">Croatina</glossary> (also known as <glossary title="175">Bonarda</glossary> in <glossary title="420">Emilia-Romagna</glossary>) 7% <glossary title="1086">Vespolina</glossary> and 3% <glossary title="1060">Uva Rara</glossary> (which actually translates to "rare grape"). My notes said it was "super good" with "super purity".<br />
<br />
Next up was the <glossary title="344">Coste della Sesia</glossary> 2011, which is always 90% <glossary title="709">Nebbiolo</glossary> and 10% <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="175">Croatina</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> It was dark and fully bodied but super fresh, with bright acidity and nice finish.<br />
<br />
<em>"This is the best </em><glossary title="344"><em>Coste</em></glossary><em> we've ever made." </em><br />
<br />
Conditions were perfect in 2011: cool winds, no illness, no <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="1136">hail</glossary><span>.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
We ended with the <glossary title="193">Bramaterra</glossary> 2010, which is <glossary title="74">aged</glossary> three years in <glossary title="142">barrel</glossary> before release. It showed more structure than the <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="344">Coste della Sesia</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> and even though there is less <glossary title="709">Nebbiolo</glossary> in it than the <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="344">Coste</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> I felt the wine to be more marked by the <glossary title="709">Nebbiolo</glossary> than the rest. <br />
<br />
Someone asked about the lesser planted and known grapes used at the <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="427">estate</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> and Odilio answered:<br />
<br />
<em>"Having many grape </em><glossary title="1071"><em>varieties</em></glossary><em> balances the vineyard and ensures that if something goes wrong (with one of the grapes), you have the luxury of a back up plan."</em><br />
<br />
By the time the tasting was over, the rain had majorly subsided so we decided to brave the elements and visit some nearby vineyards. Incredibly, Odilio had eight million umbrellas handy and was able to lend one to each of us. </p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//11/63/1163a5f23f81d5079e72b42929933564.jpg" /><br />
<br />
Well, everyone but me. I actually got a broken parasol. </p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//fa/11/fa11de212e8e0726964838f562cbb000.jpg" /><br />
<br />
The first vineyard we visited is 450 meters <glossary title="419">elevation</glossary> and produces <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="344">Coste della Sesia</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> </p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//2f/bf/2fbf5600e0492fb77db24e34122dcd31.jpg" /></p>
<p>In better weather conditions, you can clearly see the Alps and the Sesia river in the background.<br />
<br />
The vineyard is and isolated <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="305">clos</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <glossary title="430">exposed</glossary> full South and is planted in <glossary title="709">Nebbiolo</glossary> and <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="1086">Vespolina</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> The soils here consist of <glossary title="1117">volcanic </glossary><span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="816">Porphyry</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> which is a type of <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="502">granite</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> Odilio decided to grab a huge chunk of it to break it down. </p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//ee/4f/ee4f0a80b1d19c04ddd5cddf11e9b3de.jpg" /><br />
<br />
<em>"Every different color you see is a different </em><glossary title="662"><em>mineral</em></glossary><em>, which adds much complexity to the wine." </em></p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//a0/c6/a0c64c4e81c76c7567738d898b14a516.jpg" /></p>
<p>Here's another, smaller piece to give you an idea. </p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//b1/4d/b14d6d79058a93adfb0fc906d59d2945.jpg" /></p>
<p>The next vineyard we visited took us through a slippery and very uneven road that you can only access with a 4x4 truck.</p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//63/8b/638b2fdb084723647677f76d0eb53c95.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//df/38/df3874a74825a7160b6abb5d87171dd4.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//94/1e/941e3d19ec67149f117f4eaa38adf84c.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//cd/05/cd05bc5bd66ed37f7340e7b31bb14996.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//58/e7/58e7dcb71e8cfd61832f61ee6dbff6e1.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//b5/8d/b58dd0aacb014b0da27590a113bf9e84.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//7c/28/7c28612b543da0abb6798e5fda8bbc3b.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//99/3c/993c40d723154367957a01febe013b85.jpg" /></p>
<p>This is the Antoniotti's main vineyard; the current vines were planted in 1978, but the family purchased the land in 1860 (Odilio still has the contract papers stashed somewhere). The soils are also <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="816">Porphyry</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> but much finer and pebbly. </p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//12/96/1296969b4f0b0e8c735b72a7783ff528.jpg" /><br />
<br />
The Antoniottis have never used <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="526">herbicides</glossary><span>.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<em>"We </em><glossary title="1028"><em>till</em></glossary><em> the grass, and that becomes a natural </em><glossary title="323"><em>compost</em></glossary><em>."</em><br />
<br />
The site is a proper viticultural amphitheater, and as such the <glossary title="430">exposition</glossary> spans from South to South-West. </p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//f8/fd/f8fd0c227c64b4e1169d54ffd7843609.jpg" /><br />
</p>
<p>At the moment we are <glossary term="Bottling" title="185">bottling</glossary> the <glossary term="Bramaterra" title="193">Bramaterra</glossary> 2010, next week we will begin to prepare the <glossary term="Vat/Tank" title="1140">vats</glossary> for the <glossary term="Harvest" title="521">harvest</glossary> that should occur the 7/8th of October.</p>
<p>The <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Vespolina" title="1086">Vespolina</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <glossary term="Croatina/Bonarda" title="175">Croatina</glossary> and <glossary term="Uva Rara" title="1060">Uva Rara</glossary> are a little ahead of the <glossary term="Nebbiolo" title="709">Nebbiolo</glossary> that needs at least another week of <glossary term="Maturation" title="639">maturation</glossary> (historically, it's the last to ripen). From the analysis of acid and sugar levels, one would expect an optimal <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Vintage" title="1109">vintage</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> In the last months we have had an ideal climate for the ripening, very hot days and cold at night (around 50 F).</p>
<p>During the <glossary term="Harvest" title="521">harvest</glossary> we will send some photos.</p>
<p>PS. This year we replanted 1.3 <glossary term="Hectare" title="523">HA</glossary> of vineyard of which .9 <glossary term="Hectare" title="523">HA</glossary> are<br />
designated for <glossary term="Bramaterra" title="193">Bramaterra</glossary> and the other .4 <glossary term="Hectare" title="523">HA</glossary> are for <glossary term="Coste della Sesia" title="344">Coste della Sesia</glossary> <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Nebbiolo" title="709">Nebbiolo</glossary><span>.</span></span></span></p>
<p>The Antoniotti family has been making wine in their town of Casa del Bosco (Sostegno) in northern <glossary title="793">Piemonte</glossary> for generations. Today Odilio, along with his son Mattia, work the vines and make the wines in the same traditional manner. </p>
<p>They currently work six <glossary title="523">hectares</glossary> in two of Italy's smallest <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="1156">DOC's</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <glossary title="193">Bramaterra</glossary> and <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="344">Coste della Sesia</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> <glossary title="193">Bramaterra</glossary> is truly microscopic, with only a handful of <glossary title="1089">vignaioli</glossary> producing it. <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="344">Coste della Sesia</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> while still small, is a broader 33 <glossary title="523">hectare</glossary> <glossary title="113">appellation</glossary> that overlaps with <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="193">Bramaterra</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="1219">Gattinara</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <glossary title="1220">Lessona</glossary> and many others: usually the wines receive this <glossary term="Appellation" title="113">appellation </glossary>when they aren't as qualitative. A good example: four of the Antoniottis' six <glossary title="523">hectares</glossary> fall within the <glossary title="193">Bramaterra</glossary> <glossary title="113">appellation</glossary> but only two are <glossary title="1104">vinified</glossary> as such. </p>
<p>Both <glossary title="113">appellations</glossary> are <glossary title="709">Nebbiolo</glossary> dominant, but the wines are always <glossary title="168">blended</glossary> with various amounts of <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="175">Croatina</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <glossary title="1086">Vespolina</glossary> and <glossary title="1060">Uva Rara</glossary> depending on the <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="1109">vintage</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> <glossary title="193">Bramaterra</glossary> needs to be <glossary title="74">aged</glossary> at least 22 months in <glossary title="142">barrel</glossary> before <glossary title="185">bottling</glossary>; the Antoniotti do 30 months. Their <glossary title="344">Coste della Sesia</glossary> <glossary title="74">ages</glossary> for 18 months before <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="185">bottling</glossary><span>.</span></span></span></p>
<p>The soils here are <glossary title="1117">volcanic</glossary> <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="816">porphyry</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> a type of <glossary title="502">granite</glossary> rich in minerals. The vineyard work is done using <glossary title="518">guyot</glossary> training, only <glossary title="993">sulfur</glossary> and <glossary title="333">copper</glossary> treatments at minimal levels, <glossary title="746">organic</glossary> <glossary title="323">compost</glossary> but no <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="442">fertilizers</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> Grapes are <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="520">picked by hand</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="378">destemmed</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <glossary title="441">fermented</glossary> in underground <glossary title="325">cement tanks</glossary> for about 12-14 days, <glossary title="843">racked</glossary> into <glossary title="986">stainless steel</glossary> for <glossary title="622">malo</glossary> and put into <glossary title="142">barrels</glossary> around the end of December (or left in <glossary title="986">stainless</glossary> in the case of "Pramartel"). There is no <glossary title="449">fining</glossary> or <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="447">filtration</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> <glossary title="993">Sulfur</glossary> use has lowered over the years: the Antoniotti currently only add some on their <glossary title="521">harvest</glossary> before <glossary title="1104">vinification</glossary> in order to block any insects or leaves to interfere with the <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="441">fermentation</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> </p>
Article
producer visit14.08.2019
This visit with Odilio Antoniotti took place in May, 2014
<p><strong><em>This visit with Odilio Antoniotti took place in May, 2014</em></strong></p>
<p><strong><em>Words by Jules Dressner, photos by Jill Berheimer, Josefa Concannon and David Norris.</em></strong></p>
<p>When you've travelled all the way from another continent to visit an <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="427">estate</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> the last thing you want is getting rained out. It really "dampens" the mood! <br />
<br />
This was unfortunately the case as we pulled up to Casa del Bosco to visit father/son team Odilio and Mattia Antoniotti. In the winter it's not the end of the world since the vines are hibernating and it's cold as hell. But when you've just landed in Italy in early May and the vines are bursting full of vigor and life, you definitely want to spend as much time outside as possible. Alas, the rain was coming down hard and it looked like it was going to be an "inside only" visit...<br />
<br />
Luckily, the Antoniottis have some nice inside stuff to visit. For example, their really old <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="254">cellar</glossary><span>:</span></span></span> </p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//c9/39/c939fb8295fdbfc68e7856c84ed95bb1.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//e6/67/e66732d195b3c1f01ab9ecd8f621784a.jpg" /><br />
The <glossary term="Cellar" title="254">cellar</glossary> is directly under their family house, divided in two parts and dates back to the late 1700's. What you see here is the <glossary title="1104">vinification</glossary> area. <br />
<br />
Grapes come in through this window:</p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//01/b0/01b0320b2a9b5d23bab5606bb0e9198f.jpg" /></p>
<p>All of the wine <glossary title="441">ferments</glossary> in these large <glossary title="325">concrete vats</glossary> from 1910. </p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//f5/73/f573054104b4454654f837ac64468e93.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//7d/b2/7db2f9e8a959319621ca146db73e0d55.jpg" /></p>
<p>There used to only be a single huge <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="1140">vat</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> but Odilio split it in half to focus on more precise <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="1104">vinifications</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> The grapes are <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="378">destemmed</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> and <glossary title="87">fermentations</glossary> take about three weeks with two to three <glossary title="850">remontages</glossary> a day. The wine then <glossary title="299">clarifies</glossary> (<glossary term="Decanting" title="381">decants</glossary>) in <glossary title="986">stainless steel</glossary> before being <glossary title="843">racked</glossary> to <glossary title="142">barrel</glossary> about a month later to age. Many of their <glossary title="142">barrels</glossary> are made from oak chopped down from their own land. <br />
<br />
The Antoniotti family produces two <glossary title="1156">D.O.C</glossary> wines: <glossary title="193">Bramaterra</glossary> and <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="344">Coste della Sesia</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> Both are <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="113">micro-appellations</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> with only eight producers <glossary title="185">bottling</glossary> <glossary title="193">Bramaterra</glossary> and 20 for <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="344">Coste della Sesia</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> <br />
<br />
<em>"And each grower has a tiny annual production." </em><br />
<br />
Factoid:<strong> </strong>the tiny village of Casa del Bosco was originally built as a lord's hunting resort. The historical reason vines were planted in the area is because the lord and his crew naturally needed wine to celebrate after the hunt! <br />
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Moving on, Mattia showed us their <glossary title="573">labeling</glossary> room where they hand-<span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="573">label</glossary> </span></span>EVERY SINGLE BOTTLE ONE AT A TIME WITH GLUE AND A PAINT BRUSH!</p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//e6/88/e688d50d7e26e895deb232685e79dd94.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//b2/fc/b2fc03a05bf7ec7dc6ee40a36bb809bf.jpg" /></p>
<p>That's what I call attention to detail!<br />
<br />
From the <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="254">cellar</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> we trekked upwards to the Antoniotti's semi-formal tasting room. Old bottles were proudly on display, including this 1964 produced by Odilio's grandfather. </p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//c7/ff/c7ff9a92036b8d4f8d12ccdbb9b6e13f.jpg" /></p>
<p>From the tasting room, a large window faces a large hill right by the house. </p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//cd/b4/cdb433dfde2e512967a2231e3da2bce6.jpg" /></p>
<p><em>"50 years ago, this entire hillside was planted in vineyards."</em><br />
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Before getting to down to business, Mattia busted out some local cheeses. </p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//c5/50/c5502a50ef33f09d7441cc35e4d995a5.jpg" /><br />
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There was also some Prosciutto thrown in for good measure. </p>
<p>Finally, there was some wine to taste!</p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//f2/98/f29822a5a7e325775ea168cd58063eea.jpg" /></p>
<p>We started the tasting with a first time experiment, a delicious <glossary title="871">Rosato</glossary> made from 24 hour <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="887">saignée</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> It follows the same <glossary title="168">blend</glossary> as the <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="193">Bramaterra</glossary><span>:</span></span></span> 70% <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="709">Nebbiolo</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> 20% <glossary title="175">Croatina</glossary> (also known as <glossary title="175">Bonarda</glossary> in <glossary title="420">Emilia-Romagna</glossary>) 7% <glossary title="1086">Vespolina</glossary> and 3% <glossary title="1060">Uva Rara</glossary> (which actually translates to "rare grape"). My notes said it was "super good" with "super purity".<br />
<br />
Next up was the <glossary title="344">Coste della Sesia</glossary> 2011, which is always 90% <glossary title="709">Nebbiolo</glossary> and 10% <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="175">Croatina</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> It was dark and fully bodied but super fresh, with bright acidity and nice finish.<br />
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<em>"This is the best </em><glossary title="344"><em>Coste</em></glossary><em> we've ever made." </em><br />
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Conditions were perfect in 2011: cool winds, no illness, no <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="1136">hail</glossary><span>.</span></span></span><br />
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We ended with the <glossary title="193">Bramaterra</glossary> 2010, which is <glossary title="74">aged</glossary> three years in <glossary title="142">barrel</glossary> before release. It showed more structure than the <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="344">Coste della Sesia</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> and even though there is less <glossary title="709">Nebbiolo</glossary> in it than the <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="344">Coste</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> I felt the wine to be more marked by the <glossary title="709">Nebbiolo</glossary> than the rest. <br />
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Someone asked about the lesser planted and known grapes used at the <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="427">estate</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> and Odilio answered:<br />
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<em>"Having many grape </em><glossary title="1071"><em>varieties</em></glossary><em> balances the vineyard and ensures that if something goes wrong (with one of the grapes), you have the luxury of a back up plan."</em><br />
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By the time the tasting was over, the rain had majorly subsided so we decided to brave the elements and visit some nearby vineyards. Incredibly, Odilio had eight million umbrellas handy and was able to lend one to each of us. </p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//11/63/1163a5f23f81d5079e72b42929933564.jpg" /><br />
<br />
Well, everyone but me. I actually got a broken parasol. </p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//fa/11/fa11de212e8e0726964838f562cbb000.jpg" /><br />
<br />
The first vineyard we visited is 450 meters <glossary title="419">elevation</glossary> and produces <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="344">Coste della Sesia</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> </p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//2f/bf/2fbf5600e0492fb77db24e34122dcd31.jpg" /></p>
<p>In better weather conditions, you can clearly see the Alps and the Sesia river in the background.<br />
<br />
The vineyard is and isolated <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="305">clos</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <glossary title="430">exposed</glossary> full South and is planted in <glossary title="709">Nebbiolo</glossary> and <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="1086">Vespolina</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> The soils here consist of <glossary title="1117">volcanic </glossary><span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="816">Porphyry</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> which is a type of <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="502">granite</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> Odilio decided to grab a huge chunk of it to break it down. </p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//ee/4f/ee4f0a80b1d19c04ddd5cddf11e9b3de.jpg" /><br />
<br />
<em>"Every different color you see is a different </em><glossary title="662"><em>mineral</em></glossary><em>, which adds much complexity to the wine." </em></p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//a0/c6/a0c64c4e81c76c7567738d898b14a516.jpg" /></p>
<p>Here's another, smaller piece to give you an idea. </p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//b1/4d/b14d6d79058a93adfb0fc906d59d2945.jpg" /></p>
<p>The next vineyard we visited took us through a slippery and very uneven road that you can only access with a 4x4 truck.</p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//63/8b/638b2fdb084723647677f76d0eb53c95.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//df/38/df3874a74825a7160b6abb5d87171dd4.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//94/1e/941e3d19ec67149f117f4eaa38adf84c.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//cd/05/cd05bc5bd66ed37f7340e7b31bb14996.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//58/e7/58e7dcb71e8cfd61832f61ee6dbff6e1.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//b5/8d/b58dd0aacb014b0da27590a113bf9e84.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//7c/28/7c28612b543da0abb6798e5fda8bbc3b.jpg" /></p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//99/3c/993c40d723154367957a01febe013b85.jpg" /></p>
<p>This is the Antoniotti's main vineyard; the current vines were planted in 1978, but the family purchased the land in 1860 (Odilio still has the contract papers stashed somewhere). The soils are also <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="816">Porphyry</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> but much finer and pebbly. </p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//12/96/1296969b4f0b0e8c735b72a7783ff528.jpg" /><br />
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The Antoniottis have never used <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="526">herbicides</glossary><span>.</span></span></span><br />
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<em>"We </em><glossary title="1028"><em>till</em></glossary><em> the grass, and that becomes a natural </em><glossary title="323"><em>compost</em></glossary><em>."</em><br />
<br />
The site is a proper viticultural amphitheater, and as such the <glossary title="430">exposition</glossary> spans from South to South-West. </p>
<p><img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_14//f8/fd/f8fd0c227c64b4e1169d54ffd7843609.jpg" /><br />
</p>
<p>At the moment we are <glossary term="Bottling" title="185">bottling</glossary> the <glossary term="Bramaterra" title="193">Bramaterra</glossary> 2010, next week we will begin to prepare the <glossary term="Vat/Tank" title="1140">vats</glossary> for the <glossary term="Harvest" title="521">harvest</glossary> that should occur the 7/8th of October.</p>
<p>The <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Vespolina" title="1086">Vespolina</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> <glossary term="Croatina/Bonarda" title="175">Croatina</glossary> and <glossary term="Uva Rara" title="1060">Uva Rara</glossary> are a little ahead of the <glossary term="Nebbiolo" title="709">Nebbiolo</glossary> that needs at least another week of <glossary term="Maturation" title="639">maturation</glossary> (historically, it's the last to ripen). From the analysis of acid and sugar levels, one would expect an optimal <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Vintage" title="1109">vintage</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> In the last months we have had an ideal climate for the ripening, very hot days and cold at night (around 50 F).</p>
<p>During the <glossary term="Harvest" title="521">harvest</glossary> we will send some photos.</p>
<p>PS. This year we replanted 1.3 <glossary term="Hectare" title="523">HA</glossary> of vineyard of which .9 <glossary term="Hectare" title="523">HA</glossary> are<br />
designated for <glossary term="Bramaterra" title="193">Bramaterra</glossary> and the other .4 <glossary term="Hectare" title="523">HA</glossary> are for <glossary term="Coste della Sesia" title="344">Coste della Sesia</glossary> <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Nebbiolo" title="709">Nebbiolo</glossary><span>.</span></span></span></p>
