Winemaker Cristiano Garella poured the new Sella releases last Wednesday at Biondivino on behalf of local importer Oliver McCrum. Cristiano was quite friendly and personable, and while he was just brimming with technical details about the making of each wine, it was alas hard to catch most of the details over the noise in this tiny shop.
2007 Sella Coste della Sesia Doranda
Aromas of pear, spice, slightly herbaceous. Similar flavors on the palate. A lighter-bodied, less concentrated style, with moderate acid and alcohol. Fresh and clean. Served a little too cold, this was quite pleasant but not really more. (100% erbaluce)
2006 Sella Coste della Sesia Orbello
Nose of bright strawberry and red berry fruit, tea, alpine herbs. Something faintly raw meat-like as well. Juicy acids on the palate with gentle, even light concentration and fresh red berry fruit. Lighter alpine wine style, very fresh and slightly herbaceous. Flavor of bitter herbs lingers on the palate. I like this but think it would benefit from a month or two to relax. (Approx. 50% barbera, 25% nebbiolo, 20% cabernet franc, 5% vespolina and croatina)
2005 Sella Bramaterra
Slightly lifted nose of ripe berry fruit, alpine herbs, more ripe and generous than the Orbello. Tight palate with sneaky concentration and ripe berry fruit. Has just a touch of toothsome tannin on the back end; this probably would benefit from decanting or else a month or two to flesh out. (Approx. 70% nebbiolo, 20% croatina, 10% vespolina)
2004 Sella Lessona
Fresh, slightly underripe strawberry and Italian bitter nose, floral, slightly meaty. Tightly wound palate, with fresh strawberry, a touch of fruit sweetness, and some chewy tannin. More depth and complexity than the Orbello or Bramaterra. Good acids and a very elegant, gentle frame. Not very generous today but should be lovely with another year or two more in bottle. If priced similar to the 2001, I'll definitely buy some of this. (80% nebbiolo, 20% vespolina)
2004 Sella Lessona San Sebastiano allo Zoppo
A cru from the San Sebastiano vineyard, on a hillside called Zoppo. Pretty nose of ripe red berry fruit, somewhat darker toned than the normale or 'villages' Lessona, with balsamic/brown spices and subtle herbal elements. Fine, silky texture in the mouth, with fresh acid and nice complexity. The barrique regimen here (25% new) integrates surprisingly well for such a young delicate wine, adding cedary notes and subtle midpalate richness, and supporting the greater amount of material this wine has compared to the Lessona normale. In fact this almost comes across as less structured than the Lessona right now, no doubt owing to this depth. Could be enjoyed now, but this should really shine with a few years further aging. Will definitely buy if the pricing is reasonable. (80% nebbiolo, 20% vespolina)
2007 Sella Coste della Sesia Doranda
Aromas of pear, spice, slightly herbaceous. Similar flavors on the palate. A lighter-bodied, less concentrated style, with moderate acid and alcohol. Fresh and clean. Served a little too cold, this was quite pleasant but not really more. (100% erbaluce)
2006 Sella Coste della Sesia Orbello
Nose of bright strawberry and red berry fruit, tea, alpine herbs. Something faintly raw meat-like as well. Juicy acids on the palate with gentle, even light concentration and fresh red berry fruit. Lighter alpine wine style, very fresh and slightly herbaceous. Flavor of bitter herbs lingers on the palate. I like this but think it would benefit from a month or two to relax. (Approx. 50% barbera, 25% nebbiolo, 20% cabernet franc, 5% vespolina and croatina)
2005 Sella Bramaterra
Slightly lifted nose of ripe berry fruit, alpine herbs, more ripe and generous than the Orbello. Tight palate with sneaky concentration and ripe berry fruit. Has just a touch of toothsome tannin on the back end; this probably would benefit from decanting or else a month or two to flesh out. (Approx. 70% nebbiolo, 20% croatina, 10% vespolina)
2004 Sella Lessona
Fresh, slightly underripe strawberry and Italian bitter nose, floral, slightly meaty. Tightly wound palate, with fresh strawberry, a touch of fruit sweetness, and some chewy tannin. More depth and complexity than the Orbello or Bramaterra. Good acids and a very elegant, gentle frame. Not very generous today but should be lovely with another year or two more in bottle. If priced similar to the 2001, I'll definitely buy some of this. (80% nebbiolo, 20% vespolina)
2004 Sella Lessona San Sebastiano allo Zoppo
A cru from the San Sebastiano vineyard, on a hillside called Zoppo. Pretty nose of ripe red berry fruit, somewhat darker toned than the normale or 'villages' Lessona, with balsamic/brown spices and subtle herbal elements. Fine, silky texture in the mouth, with fresh acid and nice complexity. The barrique regimen here (25% new) integrates surprisingly well for such a young delicate wine, adding cedary notes and subtle midpalate richness, and supporting the greater amount of material this wine has compared to the Lessona normale. In fact this almost comes across as less structured than the Lessona right now, no doubt owing to this depth. Could be enjoyed now, but this should really shine with a few years further aging. Will definitely buy if the pricing is reasonable. (80% nebbiolo, 20% vespolina)
