Cinzia Travaglini and her daughter Alessia Collauto Travaglini represent the 4th and 5th generations of their family's prestigious winery in the Gattinara region of Piemonte.
Don’t let Gattinara’s tiny size fool you; its 100 hectares produce some of Italy’s most intriguing wines. And no serious conversation or tasting of Gattinara is complete without Travaglini. Not only does the Travaglini family’s 59 hectares represent more than half of Gattinara’s total size, their pioneering winemaking techniques, such as experimenting with barrique, are credited with elevating the quality and reputation of Gattinara.
Located in the northwest of Italy in Piemonte, Gattinara once spanned almost 600 acres and is actually an older winemaking region than Barolo. But phylloxera and a devasting hail storm destroyed the region and by 1905 winemaking had been abandoned. The Travaglini family has owned land in Gattinara since the beginning of the 19th century and made small amounts of wine for local consumption but it wasn’t until 1958 that Travaglini Estate Winery was officially created.image courtesy of Travaglini
I was recently invited to a tasting of Travaglini Gattinara with the dynamic mother and daughter team of Cinzia Travaglini and Alessia Collauto Travaglini. Their passion and poise were inspiring. I left the tasting with the feeling that the Travaglini family doesn’t just make wine, they ARE wine. Wine unites them as a family, it is their legacy and their future.
Like Barolo, Gattinara DOCG wines are produced from 100% Nebbiolo. Travaglini’s wines have a finesse and freshness that can be attributed to the cooling winds of the nearby Alps. Of course, masterful winemaking is required to ensure that the natural beauty of these Nebbiolo grapes is not destroyed by over-manipulation. Gattinara’s judicious use of oak enhances and frames the flavors of Nebbiolo without dominating it. “Produce quality, maintain quality” is the Travaglini philosophy, said Cinzia. Cinzia’s husband, Massimo Collauto, assumed the role of chief winemaker from his father-in-law and mentor Giancarlo Travaglini and carries on this tradition.
Another thing that you’ll notice about Travaglini is the distinctive shape of their bottle. Designed by Giancarlo Travaglini in 1958, the design cleverly catches sediment during pouring, eliminating the need for decanting. The dark color prevents light from passing through and negatively impacting the quality of the wine. Travagalini’s wines are made to age and the bottle design nurtures that process.
Nebbiolo Coste Della Sesia DOC 2017 ($20.99), Travaglini’s entry level wine, is a fresh and fruit-forward introduction to their style. Aged in stainless steel (4 months) and Slavonian oak casks (10 months), it is crisp and easy to drink with crunchy red fruit flavors and a kiss of spice & herbs. A lighter-bodied red, you can even serve this slightly chilled.
Gattinara DOCG 2015 ($32.99)
Nebbiolo is often described as tasting of tar and roses and this wine elegantly expresses the grape’s grit and grace. Aged for 3 years in Slavonian oak casks, this full-bodied wine has a sinewy muscularity that keeps its red fruit and herbal flavors buoyant and not clunky.
Gattinara Tre Vigne DOCG 2013 ($49.99) is a blend of three single vineyard sites. The combination of Nebbiolo grapes from these unique sites creates a harmonious wine that is full and juicy with flavors of cherry, rose water, truffle, and black pepper. Aged for 4 years in Slavonian oak casks.
Gattinara Riserva DOCG 2013 ($59.99) is produced from Nebbiolo grapes from the best parcels in Travaglini’s oldest vineyards (35-60 years old). Aged for 3 years in Slavonian oak casks, its red fruit flavors are accented by hints of clove and bitter chocolate. Il Sogno 2014 ($127.99), which translates to “The Dream”, was inspired in name and style by Cinzia’s father, Giancarlo. A fan of Sforzato wines from Valtellina that are crafted from dried Nebbiolo grapes, Giancarlo imagined creating a similar wine in Gattinara. For Il Sogno, hand-harvested Nebbiolo grapes were air-dried for 100 days to intensify their flavors and sugars. The grapes were fermented once 50% of their water content evaporated. Aged for 40 months in Slavonian oak casks, it is rich, luscious, and sweet but good acidity and pops of spice save it from being cloying. A really beautiful vino!
image courtesy of Travaglini
If you’re planning a trip to Piemonte, Travaglini welcomes visitors. Reservations required.
