Togni 1703 Nebbiolo 2018

Enrico’s Nebbiolo bottling, labeled 1703 (named after the highest point of his nearest mountain), should spark plenty of curiosity in all Nebbiolo junkies. Somewhat plusher in tone than many would expect from the varietal, the wine at no point lacks for layers of delicate Nebbiolo nuance, leaning heavily – aromatically speaking – into the variety’s classic sun-roasted red and orange rose aroma. Fermented with whole clusters fully intact (a very unusual choice for this variety whose stems are usually far too tannic in other regions for whole cluster fermentations) and macerated for six whole months on the skins and stems (yes, you read correctly: six months!) in 1000-liter concrete tanks, the wine shows a more brooding fruit palate and softer overall frame than its siblings in Piemonte or Valtellina, resonating with darker elements of blood plum and black cherry, intersected by a lift of menthol-y coolness and soil-driven spice.