Le Pianelle Bramaterra DOC 2015

Le Pianelle is a relatively young winery, with the first plot of land being purchased in Alto Piemonte in 2004 by Dieter Heuskel and Peter Dipoli. Since then, they have acquired more than 50 more plots, bringing their total production up to 5 hectares. Their champion grape is nebbiolo, but they also grow the native croatia and vespolina. The blend for the Bramaterra DOC cuvée is 80% nebbiolo, with the other two grapes comprising equal parts of the remainder, and all of the grapes are harvested by hand, with each grape variety and vineyard being fermented separately. They ferment in open Grenier oak vats, and then it begins the ageing process with 18 months in a combination of used barriques and large Stockinger oak barrels and finishing with 24 months in bottle before release. This bottling is brimming with elegant red fruit with streaks of dark plum, and notes of tobacco, leather, toasted oak, smoke, white pepper, and licorice. It is medium in body with balanced acidity, intensity, alcohol, and tannin. Organically grown.