A few decades ago, Coste della Sesia still had a few hundred hectares of vines, but today there are a whole thirty. The reason for this was not the quality of the wines, which have been repeatedly praised in the annals of local viticulture since the 14th century, but the general rural exodus that led many farmers from the poor and inhospitable region in the shadow of the Alps to Turin.
Five of the thirty hectares are cultivated by Carlo Colombera, together with his son Giacomo and Cristiano Garella. Their vines - mostly Nebbiolo, but also Croatina and Vespolina, the other two important grape varieties in the area - are rooted in porphyry and breathe in the coolness of the mountains looming in the background.
The grapes are harvested by hand and fermented spontaneously and without temperature control; ageing takes place over 24 months, 10 of which the grape varieties spend entirely on their own in used wooden barrels, after which they are cuvetted and the Coste della Sesia is transferred to cement cisterns for the rest of the time. A great wine for a very low price.
Style
Earthy, red berry, fresh - the Coste della Sesia is a child of its environment, the surrounding forests and hills. It is direct and precise on the palate. The present tannins enliven and contribute to the elegance of the wine, while the acidity paves the way for an animating drinking flow. The finish is cool and characterised by fine spice and red fruit.
Data sheet
Grape variety: 65% Nebbiolo, 20% Croatina, 15% Vespolina
Plant protection: only sulphur, copper and plant or animal-based preparations, not certified
Vineyard: Situated in a forest clearing. Vines are rooted in sand & volcanic rock.
Harvest: by hand
Fermentation: spontaneous | wild yeasts in cement cisterns
Ageing: 10 months in used barriques and four months in cement cisterns
Filtration: no
SO₂: < 50mg/litre
Alcohol content: 12.5%
Closure: Natural cork
Drinking temperature: 15-17 °C
Perfect drinking maturity: from now - 2030
Content and price per litre: 0.75 l/(€16/l)
All the winegrowers listed on Vinonudo work with compost, organic fertiliser and natural preparations in their vineyards and do not use herbicides, pesticides or artificial fertilisers.
