Dessilani Gattinara Riserva, 1988

I have been drinking and enjoying Dessilani wines since the 1978 vintage, but this is a bottle I picked up at auction several years ago. Like Spanna, Gattinara is a Nebbiolo-based wine from the Novara Hills north of the Piedmont region of Italy. And, as Nebbiolo, it ages very well.

Brownish color with heavy sediment. I miss the beautiful floral scents that are typical of Nebbiolo, but the fruit scents of this wine are attractive--dark cherry, fresh and dried. And there is also a good amount of brettanomyces. Lots of power on the palate. Very cherry with the brett adding an attractive earthy element.