Sperino

Proprieta Sperino is an estate in Lessona and Bramaterra, in the northern Alto Piemonte, where Nebbiolo is grown at altitude on volcanic, mineral-rich soils quite different from the Langhe clays further south. The De Marchi family, who also own Isole e Olena in Tuscany, revived the estate in the early 2000s after decades of vineyard abandonment in this part of Piedmont.

The estate blends Nebbiolo with Vespolina and Croatina, the traditional field-blend varieties that used to accompany Nebbiolo across northern Piedmont before monoculture took over. The wines are medium-bodied, floral and savoury, with a transparency and freshness that is distinctly Alto Piemonte in character. A beautiful range from a region that deserves much wider recognition.