Italian Wine For the Soul: 2015 Rovellotti Nebbiolo “Valplazza”
Posted on: 10/10/18 12:00 PM
The greatest gift Italy continues to provide us is not the singular and rare bottles from Barolo or Brunello, it is the “common” bottles such as Rovellotti’s humble and inspired Nebbiolo “Valplazza.” Offering much more material than its price suggests, Rovellotti’s soulful Nebbiolo leaves little to be desired: sweet red cherries, freshly torn roses, tar and mineral … “Valplazza” is intense, surprisingly elegant and addictively persistent. It’s a wine that epitomizes you why you keep coming back to Italian wine. Although not a well-known entity (on American shores at least) Rovellotti is a giant to be reckoned with and deserves a place at every pasta bearing table this Fall.
2015 Rovellotti Nebbiolo “Valplazza”
More about the Wine
The best description you can ever write about Rovellotti is soulful. These are not sleek wines, nor are they slender. The fruit feels physical. Charged. Neither a high-brow knowledge or sophisticated fancy taste can dictate any impressions here, it’s just good catchy wine. You can be completely dead inside and still feel something when you open Rovellotti.
The hook is simple: a gifted family which has been growing wine this since the second half of the 17th century + the best terroir to grow Nebbiolo (the Alto Piemonte, specifically Ghemme) + some very smart winemaking. The fruit is completely organic to boot, too.
A vintage like 2015 is perfect for a wine like “Valplazza.” 2015, as you know was a fabulous vintage all around for Italy. For a wine like “Valplazza”, the fruit is even more textured and defined, the acid shines brighter rounding out the wine perfectly. It’s a wonderful bottle, born from a wonderful vintage.
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