In the vines at Colombera & Garella.
In the years since we first wrote about the excellent wines of Colombera e Garella, they have grown from insider secrets to some of the most sought-after bottles in Alto Piemonte. Cristiano Garella has become a real force for good in the region, championing the revival of once-legendary vineyard areas in northern Italy that were recently recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site. His partnership with Giacomo and Carlo Colombera is a reference point for the quality of this area and the newly released wines from the estate show the same clarity and poise we have come to expect from this exciting project.

The wines of Alto Piemonte are often framed as less expensive alternatives to Barolo & Barbaresco, but in truth they represent a wholly different expression of the Nebbiolo grape. This region is centered 75 miles north of Barolo in an area defined by volcanic soils created during the eruption of a super volcano 300 million years ago. Nebbiolo sports a leaner frame here, and is often blended with spicy Vespolina or lush Croatina to augment texture and depth. The wines of Colombera & Garella are archetypal Alto Piemonte wines showing the true potential of what this region is capable of.

We recently received the ’16 Crus (Bramaterra & Lessona) as well as the ’18 entry-level bottling from the Costa della Sesia. The 2016 vintage was picture perfect in the region, allowing the grapes to ripen fully while maintaining a razor’s edge of acidity and a burst of minerality. 2018 is a more opulent vintage, which shows through in the juicy, bold character of their Costa della Sesia. These wines are no longer available in large quantities, as the reputation of the region has grown in tandem with this trailblazing producer. What you see below is all we'll be receiving until the next set of releases, so you'll want to act quickly if these are on your radar. 

These wines are offered on a first come, first served basis. Follow the links below to purchase directly from our site or call/email us if you need assistance.

Cheers,
  
THE WINES
 
Colombera & Garella - Coste della Sesia 2018
24+ BOTTLES AVAILABLE
$23.99/BOTTLE
Costa della Sesia is the perfect intro to this great estate. The appellation covers the land to the west of the Sesia river, overlaying both the areas of Lessona and Bramaterra. This wine has a higher portion of Croatina and Vespolina than the two cru bottlings and is easier to enjoy in its youth. This wine pops on the nose with violets, berry fruit and serious spicy punch of cracked pepper. The palate is fresh and focused with faint tannins and plenty of acidity showing best with a bit of air.
 
Colombera & Garella - Bramaterra 2016
23 BOTTLES AVAILABLE
$43.99/BOTTLE
The Bramaterra area is dominated by volcanic, friable rocks with quite a bit of iron in the soil. The inclusion of 10% each Croatina and Vespolina give the wine a deeper expression with darker fruit and more texture than the Lessona. This is lush and textured for Nebbiolo but with very moderate alcohol and focused acidity. Delicious young, these bottles also have serious potential in the cellar over the course of a decade.
 
Colombera & Garella - Lessona 2016
24 BOTTLES AVAILABLE
$43.99/BOTTLE
Lessona shows the most distinction from Barolo, highlighting the airy minerality of Nebbiolo with grace and lift rather than overt power. The soil here is dominated by red marine sand that allows the elegance of Nebbiolo to shine through. Only around 5% of the wine is Vespolina, included to add a nice spicy cut to a profoundly mineral Nebbiolo wine. Typically, this is the bottling that most demands a few years in the cellar and rewards a bit more patience handily.