In Italy, there are two types of Pinot Noir, one suitable for white vinification and the other perfect for producing red wine. the first type, widespread in Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia, and especially in Oltrepò Pavese, yields excellent sparkling wines where it is used as a base. The story is quite different for the second Pinot Noir: it is indeed a very delicate grape variety, so even a vineyard in an excellent position is particularly subject to the vintage's conditions. It is a "difficult" variety even during vinification, but when successful, it rewards the producer for all efforts. The resulting wine is characterized by a red color that is never too pronounced, a characteristic aroma of small red fruits (currants, blackberries, raspberries), and a soft and velvety taste; aging in barriques enhances its potential. This Pinot Noir is widespread in Trentino, Alto Adige (where it is known as Blauburgunder), Lombardy, especially in Oltrepò, but also in Franciacorta, Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia, and Piedmont.
Tre Bicchieri 2024. The best Pinot Noir wines
Here we focus specifically on the two Piedmont Pinot Noir wines that have received Tre Bicchieri in the Gambero Rosso Guide to Italian Wines 2024. One is La Mandorla di Mauro 2021 by Luigi Spertino, which changes its name and designation, offering a complete and refined nose where aromas of cherry jam, blackberries, olive pâté, and wet earth intertwine, while on the palate, a good acidic vein and a hint of tannic astringency balance the great extractive richness. With the arrival of his son Andrea, increasingly involved in vineyard management, Mauro Spertino can dedicate himself calmly to the winery and sales. Nevertheless, the company is going through a very troubled period due to the constant and devastating presence of golden flavescence, a disease that quickly kills barbera vines, even those recently planted, forcing Mauro to plant more resistant cultivars, at least in border areas with the forest. Despite these problems, production confirms its usual levels of excellence.
The other is Bricco del Falco 2019 by Isolabella della Croce, a refined and elegant Pinot Noir, once again in the spotlight, achieving excellence thanks to its great taste-olfactory balance, where notes of spices along with rose and red fruit make it a drink for connoisseurs. One of the most unspoiled corners of Piedmont is the natural oasis in which Isolabella della Croce is nestled, making it a reference point for wine tourists with its new rooms and veranda. Andrea Elegir is the winemaker and director of this reality that the Isolabella della Croce family, now with the attentive and passionate Luigi, has built over the years, respecting the surrounding environment and producing wines with a pronounced acidity according to modern standards.
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