Nascetta, the relatively unknown Langhe white grape. This rare variety was very popular until the end of the 19th century, was abandoned and rediscovered about 10 years and yet still there are less than 50 acres planted throughout the world. Nascetta is known to be a semi-aromatic grape that gains much complexity with many years in the bottle. The initial vines that were planted in 2007 were taken from cuttings from the ‘original’ Elvio Cogno that was collected from more than 20 sites throughout the Langhe in 2003. Elvio along with Valter Fissore were the brains and manpower behind saving this grape. Nascetta begs for air and to be oxidatively handled as well as time tucked away to truly express itself.
This hails from a small 1.3 acre plot at roughly 1,100 feet in elevation, aptly named the Paradiso Vineyard. The western exposure helps to get this rather difficult grape ripe with the late afternoon sun. The grapes were picked at optimum ripeness and left to cold soak for two days. The juice was pressed off the skins and fermentation kicked off with native yeasts in temperature controlled tanks (14-16 degrees C). The wine spent 12 months in a stainless-steel tank on the lees. It was bottled without fining and with a light filtration prior to a small addition of sulfur. It then spent six months in bottle prior to market release.
