A review of my blogs will reveal a particular affection for the wines of La Spinetta. So it should surprise no one that I would undertake another studied journey through a number of La Spinetta wines, focusing not on the broad range of wines produced, but instead on a select few wines, the highlight being a vertical of the noteworthy single-vineyard Barolo, Campè.
Before we dive into the flight, let’s revisit an overview about Barolo.
Barolo
Barolo is a DOCG red wine from Piedmont, produced exclusively from Nebbiolo grapes grown on the Langhe hills southwest of Alba. It is widely regarded as Italy’s most profound expression of Nebbiolo, defined by high acidity, formidable tannin, aromatic detail, and exceptional longevity. Despite often appearing pale in color, Barolo is structurally one of the world’s most powerful dry red wines.
Barolo DOCG laws (established in 1980) mandate that this premium Italian red wine must be produced from 100% Nebbiolo grapes grown on specific, south-facing hillside vineyards in Piedmont. Production requires a minimum 38-month total ageing period (including 18 months in oak) and 62 months for Riserva, with strict regulations on yields and a minimum 13% alcohol content.
Key Regulations Governing Barolo DOCG Include:
- Grape Variety: 100% Nebbiolo (sub-varieties Lampia, Michet, or Rosé).
- Production Zone: Specific hillside locations in the Langhe hills (11 communes, mainly Barolo, La Morra, Castiglione Falletto, Serralunga d’Alba, and Monforte d’Alba).
- Altitude & Exposure: Vineyards must be situated between 170m and 540m above sea level, excluding north-facing slopes.
- Aging Requirements:
- Barolo DOCG: Minimum 38 months from November 1st of the harvest year, with at least 18 months in oak barrels.
- Barolo Riserva: Minimum 62 months from November 1st of the harvest year, with at least 18 months in oak.
- Alcohol Level: Minimum 13% for standard, 13.5% for Riserva.
- Yields: Maximum 8,000 kg of grapes per hectare.
- Authentication: Wines must pass a technical analysis and tasting panel to receive the numbered government seal.
- Labeling (MGA): In 2010, the Menzione Geografica Aggiuntiva (MGA) system was formalized to identify specific vineyards (similar to Burgundy’s climats), with 170+ official, recognized MGAs.
These laws ensure the high quality and distinct, long-aging characteristics of Barolo, often requiring intense tannin management in the cellar to produce the signature “tar and roses” aroma profile.
MGA Villages of Barolo
Before Barolo Was Barolo
Nebbiolo has been cultivated in Piedmont since at least the 13th century, but for much of its history, wines from what we now call Barolo were unstable, sweet or semi‑sweet, and sold only in cask. Nebbiolo ripens late—often in October—and fermentation in cold Piedmontese cellars frequently stopped before completion, leaving residual sugar.
The name “Barolo” itself did not appear consistently on labels until the mid‑19th century, coinciding with the spread of glass bottle use in the region. What we now think of as Barolo—dry, structured, and age‑worthy—did not yet exist.
The 19th‑Century Transformation
Modern Barolo was born in the early‑to‑mid 1800s, driven by aristocratic landowners, political ambition, and technical advancement.
Key figures include:
- Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour, a central architect of Italian unification, who modernized viticulture at his estate in Grinzane Cavour, emphasizing varietal focus and cellar hygiene.
- Giulia Colbert Falletti, Marchioness of Barolo, whose extensive holdings across Barolo, La Morra, and Serralunga d’Alba became laboratories for improvement. Her wines captured the attention of King Carlo Alberto of Savoy.
- Paolo Francesco Staglieno and Louis Oudart, who refined methods for complete fermentation and long‑term wine stability, allowing Nebbiolo to be vinified fully dry and preserved for aging.
These developments transformed Barolo into a dry, powerful, export‑worthy wine—and tied it indelibly to Piedmontese royalty.
“The Wine of Kings”
Barolo’s association with the House of Savoy earned it the enduring title:
“Il vino dei re, il re dei vini” —
“The wine of kings, the king of wines.”
This historical prestige explains why Barolo has always been judged by a different standard—less by immediate charm, more by structure, seriousness, and potential.
The Modern Era
After hardship during the World Wars, Barolo entered a renaissance in the mid‑20th century:
- DOC status in 1966
- DOCG elevation in 1980
- Formal recognition of hillside viticulture and aging discipline
The late 20th century saw the so‑called “Barolo Wars”, when traditional long macerations and large casks were challenged by shorter macerations and French barrique. Rather than erasing tradition, this period expanded Barolo’s stylistic range, setting the stage for producers like La Spinetta, who balance polish with structure.
Nebbiolo: Tasting Implications
Nebbiolo defines Barolo more than rules ever could.
Key sensory markers
- Aromas: rose petal, violet, red cherry, strawberry, tar
- Structure: very high tannin, high acidity
- Color: light garnet, often with orange rim even when young
- Evolution: truffle, dried herbs, leather, licorice with age
In tastings, emphasize the disconnect between color and power—a defining Nebbiolo trait.
Terroir & Communes: How Place Shapes the Glass
Barolo’s character is shaped by ancient marine soils and rolling hills between roughly 170–540 meters in elevation.
Two major geological zones dominate:
- Younger Tortonian marls (La Morra, Barolo):
→ floral aromatics, softer tannins, earlier accessibility - Older Serravallian sandstones (Serralunga d’Alba, Monforte d’Alba):
→ darker fruit, firmer tannins, longer aging curves
There are 181 officially recognized MGAs (crus), underscoring Barolo’s commitment to site specificity.
And before we dive into the flight of wines tasted, an overview of La Spinetta is warranted:
La Spinetta: How a Family of Farmers Reimagined Piedmont’s Great Wines
Every great wine story begins long before the first vintage, and La Spinetta’s begins not with ambition, but with perseverance.
In the late 19th century, Giovanni Rivetti—like so many Piedmontese of his era—left Italy for Argentina, dreaming of returning home wealthy enough to buy land and farm. That dream never came true for him, but it quietly passed to the next generation. His son Giuseppe Rivetti, affectionately known as Pin, returned to Piedmont, married Lidia, and built a life as a farmer rooted in humility, discipline, and respect for the land. Those values—more than any technique or trend—became the DNA of La Spinetta and still define the estate today.
From “Top of the Hill” to the Center of Attention
In 1977, the Rivetti family settled on a hilltop property in Castagnole delle Lanze, an area known almost exclusively for sweet, lightly sparkling Moscato d’Asti. The site was called La Spinetta, literally “the top of the hill,” and it gave the winery both its name and its point of view.
At the time, Moscato was widely seen as simple and inconsequential. The Rivettis disagreed. They believed great wine begins in great vineyards—and that this logic should apply to Moscato as much as Barolo. Their first releases, Bricco Quaglia and Biancospino, became some of the earliest single‑vineyard Moscatos in Italy, quietly challenging regional assumptions and redefining what the variety could achieve when treated seriously.
Success followed, but just as importantly, the family gained something more valuable: confidence. Confidence in their land, in their judgment, and in their willingness to follow conviction rather than convention.
Red Wines and the Language of Place
The move into red wine was inevitable. In the early 1980s, La Spinetta released Barbera d’Asti Ca’ di Pian, a wine that signaled intent rather than experimentation. This was not rustic Barbera meant for quick consumption, but a structured, vineyard‑driven interpretation that hinted at longer horizons.
By the mid‑1990s, those horizons had expanded to Barbaresco, where La Spinetta introduced three single‑vineyard wines—Gallina, Starderi, and Valeirano—each vinified identically. The philosophy was radical in its simplicity: remove cellar variables so that place alone tells the story. Any difference in the glass, therefore, must come from the vineyard itself, not from the hand of the winemaker.
This commitment to terroir would become one of La Spinetta’s most enduring signatures.
The Campè Vineyard: A Barolo Dream Realized
Barolo entered the story at the turn of the millennium. In 2000, the Rivetti family acquired vineyards in Grinzane Cavour, focusing their attention on a south‑facing hillside in the Garretti cru now known as Campè.
The vineyard itself was not famous at the time. Its old Nebbiolo vines—many averaging around 70 years of age—had long produced fruit destined for bulk wine. But Giorgio Rivetti saw something else: balance, exposure, soil, and the potential for harmony between power and finesse. Extreme measures followed—yields were slashed dramatically, chemicals eliminated, and the vineyard re‑centered around manual farming and long‑term health.
Campè sits at roughly 280 meters above sea level, with alluvial soils rich in calcareous clay, and it occupies the upper and central portion of the slope—the section La Spinetta considers the cru’s most expressive. From the very first vintage in 2000, Barolo Campè announced itself not as a blockbuster, but as a wine of depth, structure, and remarkable balance—what Giorgio Rivetti has described as the fullest expression of what Barolo can be.
A Philosophy That Resists Fashion
Despite international acclaim, La Spinetta has never chased uniformity or trend. The estate’s guiding principles remain consistent:
- unwavering focus on indigenous varieties
- extreme respect for old vines and low yields
- winemaking that aims to step back, allowing vineyard identity to move forward
- wines intended to be age‑worthy, yet open enough to communicate early
Whether in Piedmont or Tuscany, where the family founded Casanova della Spinetta in 2001 to focus on traditional Sangiovese, the approach is always the same: innovation is welcome, but never at the expense of origin.
La Spinetta – The Flight
The flight of La Spinetta wines began with a delightful Contratto sparkling wine, a property owned by La Spinetta, and producing some incredible bubbly.
2021 Contratto Millesimato, Pas Dose
Alta Langa DOCG
80% Pinot Noir, 20% Chardonnay
The wine is bright and yeasty on the nose with raspberry, apple and almond hints. Medium-bodied with firm acidity. Elegant, well-balanced. Creamy. Tart and refreshing. Seductive. Long finish. Lovely with pear and almond skin on the aftertaste.
Next, we introduced La Spinetta’s lovely Timorasso, a mercurially striking white wine – vibrant and refreshing on the palate.
2022 La Spinetta Timorasso Derthona
Colli Tortonesi DOC
100% Timorasso
Hazelnut, white pepper, and peach on the nose. Medium-bodied with moderate acidity. Tart lemon on the palate with minerality and vanilla. Long finish – layered. Worked better on its own than with the food. Contemplative.
Next, we tasted the three Cru Barbaresco wines, Starderi, Valeirano, and Gallina, each from the 2022 vintage.
The 2022 vintage was chosen because at a recent La Spinetta dinner, the wines proved so captivating, they needed to be revisited here.
2022 La Spinetta Staderi, Barbaresco
Barbaresco DOCG
100% Nebbiolo
Dark, brooding nose with cherry, earthy, truffle, violet, and anise hints. Spectacular. Medium-bodied with moderate acidity. Well-balanced with firm tannins. Dark fruit core. Tight, black cherry. Long finish. Herbaceous and floral. So very young.
2022 La Spinetta Valeirano, Barbaresco
Barbaresco DOCG
100% Nebbiolo
Bright cherry nose with floral hints. Full-bodied with firm acidity. Well-balanced with firm, dry tannins. Extracted. Black cherry. Youthful. Long finish. Tight.
2022 La Spinetta Gallina, Barbaresco
Barbaresco DOCG
100% Nebbiolo
Black cherry nose with violet, and tarry hints. Medium-bodied with firm acidity. Well-balanced with firm, dry tannins. Tight. Muted. More black cherry. Youthful. Long finish. Licorice.
Reading Campè Through Time
We then embarked on a very special vertical tasting of ten vintages of Barolo Campè, which is more than an exercise in comparison—it is a narrative unfolding in chapters. Each vintage captures a season, each bottle a moment of restraint and decision, and together they illustrate how a single vineyard responds to climate, patience, and time. Campè’s consistency of place, combined with La Spinetta’s consistency of philosophy, makes such a tasting especially revealing. Power becomes elegance. Tannin becomes texture. Youth yields to nuance. And behind every glass stands the same idea that launched the winery decades ago: great wine is not made—it is allowed to happen.
2004 La Spinetta Campè, Barolo
Barolo DOCG
100% Nebbiolo
Earthy nose with roasted game, dried cherry and cedar hints. Full-bodied with moderate acidity. Well-balanced with firm, dry tannins. Dried cherries with cacao and Amarena cherry notes. Long finish with anise and rose attar on the aftertaste. Delightful and remarkably youth for a 22-year-old wine.
2005 La Spinetta Campè, Barolo
Barolo DOCG
100% Nebbiolo
Earthy, book leather, dried cherry – explosive on the nose. Full-bodied with moderate acidity. Well-balanced with silky tannin. Delicious palate. Cherry, anise, violets, gamey. Long finish, opening but reserved. So much more time. One of the best Barolo I have tasted from any vintage.
2006 La Spinetta Campè, Barolo
Barolo DOCG
100% Nebbiolo
Sour cherry nose with dried book leather and cedar hints. Full-bodied with moderate acidity. Beautifully balanced with silky, seductive tannins. Dark fruit core with chocolate and Amarena cherry notes. Endless finish with crushed rose petal and anise on the aftertaste.
2007 La Spinetta Campè, Barolo
Barolo DOCG
100% Nebbiolo
Earthy nose with dried herbs and cedar hints. Medium-bodied with moderate acidity. Well-balanced with firm, dry tannins. Well-integrated palate with dried cherry and dried strawberry notes. Long finish. Spicy on the aftertaste. Charming.
2008 La Spinetta Campè, Barolo
Barolo DOCG
100% Nebbiolo
Funky nose with cooked fruit, resin, and cedar hints. Medium-bodied with moderate acidity. Well-balanced with firm tannins. More cooked fruit notes. Long finish. Brambly on the aftertaste. Uneven.
2014 La Spinetta Campè, Barolo
Barolo DOCG
100% Nebbiolo
Fresh, bright cherry nose with dried herbs and cedar hints. Medium-bodied with moderate acidity. Well-balanced with firm tannins. Dark fruit core with dark chocolate and tarry notes. Long finish. Tight. More chocolate on the aftertaste. Very nice.
2016 La Spinetta Campè, Barolo
Barolo DOCG
100% Nebbiolo
Earthy nose with cooked fruit and cedar hints. Medium-bodied with moderate acidity. Well-balanced with firm tannins. Black cherry palate with roasted game and dried fruit notes. Long finish. Tight. Black pepper on the aftertaste.
2019 La Spinetta Campè, Barolo
Barolo DOCG
100% Nebbiolo
Cherry, floral hints. Full-bodied with moderate acidity. Well-balanced with tight, firm tannin. Dried cherry, anise, brambles, and book leather. Lovely. Long finish. Tight. Needs a ton of time. Superb.
2020 La Spinetta Campè, Barolo
Barolo DOCG
100% Nebbiolo
Black cherry nose with book leather and cedar hints. Full-bodied with firm acidity. Well-balanced with firm, dry tannins. Dark fruit core with black cherry and tarry notes. Long finish. Youthful.Tight.
2021 La Spinetta Campè, Barolo
Barolo DOCG
100% Nebbiolo
Roses and violets on the nose. Bright cherry hints. Full-bodied with firm acidity. Well-balanced with firm, dry tannins. Black cherry with violets and cedar. Long finish. So very young. Tight.
La Spinetta – The Scores
| Cru Barbaresco Scoring | |
| 2022 Starderi Barbaresco | 21 |
| 2022 Gallina Barbaresco | 18 |
| 2022 Valeirano Barbaresco | 9 |
| Campè Scoring | |
| 2004 Campè Barolo | 20 |
| 2016 Campè Barolo | 14 |
| 2021 Campè Barolo | 14 |
| 2007 Campè Barolo | 11 |
| 2006 Campè Barolo | 8 |
| 2005 Campè Barolo | 5 |
| 2019 Campè Barolo | 2 |
| 2008 Campè Barolo | 0 |
| 2014 Campè Barolo | 0 |
| 2020 Campè Barolo | 0 |
La Spinetta – The Cheese
La Tur
La Tur, a dense, creamy blend of pasteurized cow, goat and sheep milk. Runny and oozing around the perimeter with a moist, cakey, palette-coating paste, its flavor is earthy and full, with a lingering lactic tang. The effect is like ice cream served from a warm scoop; decadent and melting from the outside in.
Country: Italy
Milk Type: Cow
Cheese Type: Soft
Nabbabbo
Nabbabbo is a washed-rind cheese that is slightly pink in color. The paste is bright white in color, characteristic of soft goat cheese, and has a creamy and supple texture that closely resembles other typical Lombard cheeses. It is aged for over 40 days, the result creating a mild, buttery and rich flavor that retains the distinctive aftertaste of goat’s milk with a hint of bitterness.
Country: Italy
Milk Type: Goat
Cheese Type: Washed-Rind
Pecorino di Pienza
Pecornio di PIenza is a rustic sheep’s milk cheese from Tuscany. While aging, the wheels are wrapped in the hay and grass of the fields where the sheep graze, imparting the flavor of new mown hay to the cheese. Hearty and rustic, Pecorino di Pienza is visually striking, versatile, and absolutely delicious.
Country: Italy
Milk Type: Sheep
Cheese Type: Hard
Mountain Gorgonzola
Mountain Gorgonzola is made in two styles; Dolce is sweet and creamy while the traditional ‘mountain’ variety offers some bite buried in dense, milky paste. Lombardian cheesemakers employ a two-step process in which pasteurized curds from morning and evening milkings are layered into each wheel. Blue veins develop over several months of affinage producing a firmer, more sliceable wheel than its gooey cremi-cousin. Mountain Gorgonzola embodies the spicy, earthy flavors of valley pastures, lending itself to almost any application.
Country: Italy
Milk Type: Goat
Cheese Type: Blue-Veined
A truly wonderful set of flight, with several stand outs, all showing the magic that is La Spinetta… Cheers!