Proprietà Sperino

Most of you have probably heard of the Chianti Classico producer Isole e Olena, as they’ve made some of the best wines in the region for the past 40 years. Paolo de Marchi’s family owned the estate, and he took over as a young man and made it a sensation. However, Paolo is not Tuscan. His family comes from Alto Piemonte on the Swiss border, about an hour to the northwest of Milan. Back 100 years ago it was the place for wine in Piedmont and also the Pope’s favorite. Now, as climate change has made ripening less of a challenge in Alto Piemonte, more and more producers have started to expand into that territory, and it has drawn natives like Paolo de Marchi back to make wine on their home turf.  

In 1999, Paolo and his son Luca began building Proprietà Sperino in Lessona. It took some coaxing on Paolo’s part to get Luca involved—Luca had other things on his mind, and wine had never been one of them. Then Luca visited the estate, and, as so many who venture into the Italian countryside, he fell in love with the area. Alto Piemonte is a predominantly Nebbiolo-growing area, but unlike Barolo and Barbaresco that are 100% single-variety by law, blending is okay there.

Many local grapes are available, but the main blending grape is Vespolina, as in the case of the 2022 Proprietà Sperino "Rosa del Rosa" Piemonte Rosato $23.99 VN91. This Rosato is floral, full of strawberry aromatics with hints of orange peel. On the palate the wine has energy and drive, is dry and mouth-filling, but retains its freshness and balance. It’s always one of our most popular pink wines for summer.

There are many different DOCs in this small region: Gattinara, Bramaterra, Boca, and Lessona—each is a small geographic region on different banks of the river. The 2016 Proprietà Sperino Lessona $69.99 might as well be tasted as a Barolo. It is a powerful, complex wine that has incredible depth and aging potential—I have a 6-pack of the 2008 in my cellar. The wine ages in 15hl barrels for 32 months. It is vibrant, structured, and truly a wow wine. 2016 was a great vintage and this wine certainly belongs in your cellar.

- Greg St. Clair, Italian Wine Buyer