La Palazzina, Bramaterra DOC Riserva 'Balmai Boti' 2018
The Wine
2018 was a really outstanding vintage in Alto Piemonte.
Normally the Riserva from La Palazzina (only made in exceptional vintages) comes from the 'home block' but such was the intensity of the fruit from the Balmi Bioti vineyard 2018. It's an amped up version of the Balmi Bioti with its ferrous bloody & balsamic notes on full display. It's super concentrated & dense but without coming over heavy in any way. Destined for a very long & bright future too.
The cepage (tradional of Bramaterra) is Nebbiolo 70%, Croatina 10%, Uva rara 10%, Vespolina 10%. Fermentation was kicked off in concrete before the wine was moved to large, old & neutral oak for 36 months. It weighs in at just 13% alcohol.
95+ Pts Mike Bennie, The Wine Front 'A mix of mostly nebbiolo with ‘local varieties’. Old vines. Stellar wines from this mob. Sheesh. This is sensational. Sleek, tightly wound and precise. A sense of extreme length, synergy of red fruits (mostly sappy strawberry), dusty spice, faint choc-mocha notes, dried herbs and feisty alpine herbal and floral notes. Ripeness of fruit but tensely wound with ultra tense and granitic, powdery tannin that tells the wine who is boss and makes for firm succulence. Whiffs and licks of sooty, woody notes too, but well woven in. It feels very complete, multi-dimensional yet in such a compact frame. Nuttiness is its forte, the skin, savoury elements, succulence (again). Wonderful drinking.'
96 Pts Tom Kline, The Wine Pilot '70% nebbiolo, 10% vespolina, 10% croatina, 10% uva rara. Wow, we're on here! Very mineral off the bat, which is enchanting and attention grabbing. Restrained aromas of balsamic, ferrous, iodine, cherry, feint red rose. The restraint draws you into the glass, and what you find keeps you there. Very good. A great burst of intensity on the palate, which balances compaction and openness well. Burgundian in feel, with Volnay-like velvetiness. Integrated chalky tannins melt in the mouth and work with waves of acidity to a long close of kaleidoscopic detail that mirrors the aromas. Very classy, poised, and precise. An outstanding wine.'
Production: 2566 bottles, 50 magnums
The Details
Variety - Nebbiolo, Croatina, Vespolina
Country - Italy
Region - Alto Piemonte
Sub Region - Ghemme
Extra - Cork
Year - 2018
Volume - 750ml
About the Wine Maker 
La Palazzina are based in Bramaterra region of Alto Piemonte. Bramaterra is an ‘ancient’ winemaking area, the name Bramaterra appears, for the first time, in a parchment dated 1447.
On November 20, 1986, the La Palazzina farm was founded, whose seventeenth-century building, had been owned by Count Angiono, and was sold in 1929 to the Montà family, whose ‘head’ was grandfather Carlo Giacomo Montà.
The area had a rich former history of wine production. And in the 1930s the family began the first restructuring works that allowed the wine production to be successfully restarted in the 1960s. The iconic building is still the site of their wine production today and inspires their wine labels.
The wines are all raised in large format neutral oak. The vine age in most vineyards is between 70-85 years. Today the wines are first class – crafted from the very old vines & made with great passion.
