Historically speaking, Le Pianelle is a newcomer to the appellation of Bramaterra DOC. The winery was founded in 2004 with the purchase of the first vineyard, which is located in the center of the town of Brusnengo near the city hall and school and is of historical significance. The winery also owns 1ha of vineyards in Roasio, which is comprised of 45 separate parcels that the winery had to track down the owners of. The property in Roasio is a great example of the work that must be done to farm vineyards in this part of Italy. There were so many families who owned tiny amounts of vineyard land that left for the cities and never came back. We touched on this a little in the Alto Piemonte feature. In 1923 there were 24 wineries in Bramaterra, by 2007 there were no real commercial wineries. Today, there are just a few. Restoring these vineyards and bringing back the lost appellations of Alto Piemonte is not something that is done on a whim, simply by having money, or without a lot of blood, sweat, and tears. But, wait until you taste the wines.
Le Pianelle makes four wines: Bramaterra DOC, Coste della Seisa Rosato DOC, Coste della Seisa Croatina DOC, and Coste della Seisa Vespolina DOC. Of all the appellations in Alto Piemonte, Bramaterra was the one I was least familiar with. Once I began exploring Alto Piemonte and exchanging emails with Cristiano I became very interested in this appellation and my first visit to Le Pianelle cemented my desire to know this appellation, its wines, and its people. We will begin with Le Pianelle, but there will be other Bramaterra producers coming. This is a very exciting appellation!
Vineyards:
Brusnengo- approximately 3ha located in the center of the town of Brusnengo. The vineyard sits at 300m and is comprised of volcanic (porpyhric) soils and located in the center of the town, which you can see in the pictures. This was replanted in 2007. Brusnengo is the warmest area in the appellation and is considered the best area for growing Croatina as well.
Roasio- 1ha of vines comprised of 45 parcels. Though this vineyard is only 3.4km from Brusnengo the elevation is 450m and the temperature is significantly cooler and soils, though still volcanic, are much richer. This vineyard was replanted in 2008, but contains some small parcels with vines that are 50+ years old.
DOCs:
Bramaterra
Achieved DOC Status- 1979
Vineyards- may be planted between 200-600m.
Grapes- Nebbiolo, Croatina,Uva Rara, and Vespolina are approved for DOC wines.
Wines- must be 50-80% Nebbiolo, a maximum of 30% Croatina, and 20% Uva Rara (Bonarda) and/or Vespolina.
Production- the entire appellation produces less than 5000 cases per year.
Coste della Seisa-
Achieved DOC- 1996.
Vineyard may be planted between 200-600m.
Grapes- Nebbiolo, Croatina, Uva Rara, Vespolina, and Erboluce are approved for DOC wines.
Wines-
White wines must be 100% Erboluce
Rosato wines must be a minimum of 50% Nebbiolo
Red wines labeled as Nebbiolo must be a minimum of 85% Nebbiolo
Red wines labeled as Croatina or Vespolina must be a minimum of 85% of the stated varietal.
Wines In Our Portfolio
Bramaterra DOC 2011- 14%. 80% Nebbiolo, 10% Croatina, 10% Vespolina. 34 days macerated on skins. Natural yeasts. Bright cherry, menthol, fresh herbs, dark, sweet fruit, long, developed finish. Dry, medium tannin. Medium acid. Vines were only 5 years old for this vintage . 92 Galloni, 2G
Bramaterra DOC 2012- 14%. 80% Nebbiolo, 10% Croatina, 10% Vespolina. 34 days macerated on skins. Natural yeasts. Dark cherry, toasted herbs, black plum moving into red berries after 25 minutes. Medium acid. Dry, medium tannin. 93 Galloni, 2G
Bramaterra DOC 2013- 13%. 80% Nebbiolo, 10% Croatina, 10% Vespolina. Lefted red berry, herbs, menthol. Herbs turn savory, fruit goes very bright and red, and a strong floral component emerge after 30 minutes. Medium acid. Medium + tannin. The fruit is clear and strong!
Bramaterra DOC 2014- 13%. 80% Nebbiolo, 10% Croatina, 10% Vespolina. Sweet, dark black cherry, blood/iron, . This is a very young wine, but there is a crystal-clear core of fruit that just keeps going and going. Medium + acid. Medium + tannin. This is going to be great!!
Coste della Seisa Rosato DOC 2016- 13%. 90% Nebbiolo, 5% Vespolina, 5% Croatina. Raspberry, strawberry, and orange. Great minerality. Slight spiciness in the background. Medium + acid. This is a very balanced, yet juicy and fresh rosato. One of the best I tasted during my last trip to Italy. 92 Galloni
Future Releases:
Coste della Seisa Croatina DOC 2015- 13.5%. White pepper, pomegranate, and field berries. Medium acid. Medium – tannin.
Bramaterra DOC 2015- 13.5%. 100% Nebbiolo base wine. Tank sample. Raspberry, strawberry, cherry. Some herbs showing. Long, bright core of fruit. Medium + acid. Strong tannin.
Bramaterra DOC 2016- 13.5%. 100 Nebbiolo base wine. Tank sample. Very floral with strong pomegranate. Red berries starting to show in the background. Medium + acid. Strong tannin. I really like this!
The Future:
This is a very young winery with very young vineyards. What we are seeing already is reason to be excited. I can see a clear evolution in the wines I tasted. The vintages are playing a part, but the vines are getting more mature, digging deeper into the soil, and Cristiano is learning more about this property. He says 2014 was the best vintage he’s seen, a classic, and 2015 and 2016 are close. The future of the estate is very bright and we will be heavily invested in their growth. The wines I tasted in the bottle and in the barrel were very impressive. I will enjoy watching them evolve over the years and introducing them to you. Production is very small, but we will continue to follow these wines in barrel and bottle and reserve them in the largest quantities we can.