quicksearch
One of the stars and, frankly a very pleasant surprise at the Lake Louise Wine Summit at the Post Hotel was Giorgio Rivetti of La Spinetta.
Rivetti represents a winery full of energetic wine enthusiast and it shows in all the wines. The winery is 100% family owned, by the brothers Bruno, Carlo and Giorgio Rivetti. The lead winemaker is Giorgio Rivetti and his attention to details and low yields is reflected in his mouth-watering reds and whites. Mineral floral elegant stylish and all Italian and they are all mere babies. While I caught up with Rivetti in Lake Louise, Stuart Tobe met with him in a few days later in
90/100 La Spinetta Moscato d'Asti Bricco Quaglia 2004
Refreshing frizzante style with 5.5% alcohol. Big rose petal, perfumed spicy, mandarin skin nose with peach skin notes. Fresh yet somewhat sweet but balanced and elegant with fine mousse. Big mandarin, floral, spicy, anise, candied peach flavours with good acidity. Perfect for a warm afternoon with a fruit salad or sip solo on the deck and enjoy this elegant bubble. Fine quality moscato.
Tasted: 2006-07-01 by AG-ST
Prices: AB $22.49 (750 ml) fine wine boutiques
CSPC: 713263; UPC: 8022252200429
Producer: La Spinetta
Distributor: Black Stallion Spirits Inc; Liquid Art Fine Wines
88/100 La Spinetta Barbera d'Asti Cà di Pian 2004
Lovely floral, mineral cherry kirsch nose with leather, vanilla, licorice and thyme aromas. Round, fresh, elegant and supple. Fine mineral, licorice, cherry, plum, coffee, compost flavours. Good balance with high acidity but will be excellent with food. Stylish.
Tasted: 2006-07-01 by AG-ST
Prices: AB $31.49 (750 ml) fine wine boutiques; BC $43.00 (750 ml) speculative - Liquid Art Fine Wines
CSPC: 90704; UPC: 831906008018
Producer: La Spinetta
Distributor: Black Stallion Spirits Inc; Liquid Art Fine Wines
91/100 La Spinetta Barbera d'Alba Gallina 2004
From a classic vintage comes a spicy, gamey, thyme, eucalyptus, floral, black cherry nose flecked with meaty, vanilla and mineral notes. Very complex. Dry, round and elegant on the palate with supple tannins. Lots of coffee, vanilla, licorice, black raspberry and smoky white pepper flavours. Delicious with fine finesse and fresh on the finish with very good fruit. A food wine but very drinkable now, should improve over the next 2-4 years.
Tasted: 2006-07-01 by AG-ST
Prices: AB $31.49 (750 ml) fine wine boutiques; BC $79.00 (750 ml) speculative - Liquid Art Fine Wines
CSPC: 195404; UPC: 831906008001
Producer: La Spinetta
Distributor: Black Stallion Spirits Inc; Liquid Art Fine Wines
90/100 La Spinetta Langhe Nebbiolo Vigneto Starderi 2004
Wild strawberry jam, red cherry, spicy, licorice, eucalyptus, garrigue, floral aromas, very good aromatics. Dry, slightly tight, chewy and tannic palate. Smoky, tar, garrigue, plum jam, strawberry, floral flavours. Good balance and very good fruit but young and a bit warm. Needs 3-4 years to settle down but will keep for decades.
Tasted: 2006-07-01 by AG-ST
Prices: BC $44.00 (750 ml) speculative - Liquid Art Fine Wines
CSPC: 814061; UPC: 831906008025
Producer: La Spinetta
Distributor: Black Stallion Spirits Inc; Liquid Art Fine Wines
91/100 La Spinetta Pin Monferrato Rosso 2004
Essentially Asti Superiore the Pin blend is 65/35 nebbiolo/barbera. Open spicy, smoky, coffee, vanilla, black cherry jam nose with leather, compost aromas with a touch of tar and black olive. Rich, round, dry and somewhat tannic but has some suppleness and the Spinetta's trademark acidity. Bright cherry, plum, floral, smoky, garrigue, vanilla, coffee, tar and compost flavours. Clean, fresh, tight and complex, needs 3-5 years to shed some tannins and integrate the oak.
Tasted: 2006-07-01 by AG-ST
Prices: BC $63.00 (750 ml) speculative - Liquid Art Fine Wines
CSPC: 183665; UPC: 831906005000
Producer: La Spinetta
Distributor: Black Stallion Spirits Inc; Liquid Art Fine Wines
92/100 La Spinetta Barbaresco Vigneto Gallina 2004
Big black plum, cherry, smoky, garrigue, eucalyptus, strawberry jam, tar, spicy, floral nose. Rich, ripe, round and warm but very good concentration. Very dry, grainy, tannins but ripe. Spicy, coffee, vanilla, strawberry jam, cherry kirsch, tar, mint, peppery, cardamom flavours. Young, warm, good intensity and structure with a great nose. Needs 3-7 years.
Tasted: 2006-07-01 by AG-ST
Prices: BC $160.00 (750 ml) speculative - Liquid Art Fine Wines
CSPC: 658906; UPC: 831906008056
Producer: La Spinetta
Distributor: Black Stallion Spirits Inc; Liquid Art Fine Wines
94/100 La Spinetta Barbaresco Vigneto Starderi 2004
Made from old vines in the Neive area. Warm nose with floral, strawberry, vanilla, spicy, rose, barnyard, black pepper, cumin, leather and tar aromas. Rich, ripe, round tannins but big and concentrated. Lots of spicy, smoky, coffee, black cherry, strawberry jam, peppery, resin, licorice root flavour with some tobacco, cumin and chocolate on the finish. Big aromas, big flavours, big structure but has fine balanced. Needs 7-10 years but designed to age 25 to 30 years.
Tasted: 2006-07-01 by AG-ST
Prices: BC $160.00 (750 ml) speculative - Liquid Art Fine Wines
CSPC: 201160; UPC: 831906008032
Producer: La Spinetta
Distributor: Black Stallion Spirits Inc; Liquid Art Fine Wines
93/100 La Spinetta Barbaresco Vigneto Valeirano 2004
Very spicy, peppery nose with cherry, floral, smoky, resiny, vanilla, cardamom aromas mixed throughout. Elegant style but tight and somewhat dry. Very peppery, spicy, coffee, licorice, cherry, strawberry jam, mocha and tar flavours. Long, ripe tannins on the finish with good concentration and length. Needs 5-7 years. Not quite as gutsy as the Starderi, but solid.
Tasted: 2006-07-01 by AG-ST
Prices: BC $169.00 (750 ml) speculative - Liquid Art Fine Wines
CSPC: 67702; UPC: 831906008049
Producer: La Spinetta
Distributor: Black Stallion Spirits Inc; Liquid Art Fine Wines
92/100 Di Ezio Cocito Barbaresco Baluchin 2004
The wine is made by Spinetta but the vineyard site is owned by Ezio Cocito. It comprises less than one hectare of land. The cru site located in Nieve is Baluchin. Look for a smoky, peppery, maraschino cherry, coffee, vanilla, saddle leather, tarry nose with some earthy, licorice root notes. Complex and aromatic but less fruity. Dry, leaner, tannic style with good concentration. Again peppery, spicy, coffee, compost, tar, cherry and strawberry jam flavours. Long coffee, tar finish. A more traditional style Barolo with a great nose but will need 7-10 years to mellow out the tougher structure.
Tasted: 2006-07-01 by AG-ST
Prices: BC $105.00 (750 ml) speculative - Liquid Art Fine Wines
CSPC: 872895; UPC: 831906007967
Producer: La Spinetta
Distributor: Black Stallion Spirits Inc; Liquid Art Fine Wines
