Villa Guelpa Sizanno Piemonte 2018

You’d have to know exactly where you were going to find the small commune of Sizzano in Piemonte. Though it’s hardly known outside of the region, it’s one of the oldest, most well-established DOCs in Italy. At altitudes much higher than those in Barolo, the Nebbiolo here is fruitier and more refreshing compared to the big, dense and often leathery Barolos. But the unique expression of Nebbiolo grown high up in Sizzano is no joke.

The most exciting winery out of Sizzano right now belongs to the husband and wife duo Daniele and Sonia at Villa Guelpa. The couple have defied the odds by making some of the most easy drinking, fruity and delicious red wines in Piemonte – the hard way. From the hand harvesting to the winemaking, perhaps hardest of all is raising six children!

With their tiny vineyard, the couple make miniscule quantities of wine but have recently begun importing a sliver of their production to the U.S. Ever since their wine arrived stateside, the cat has been out of the bag, with wine critics flocking to their fruity and approachable Nebbiolo, many preferring it to its much more brooding Barolo counterpart. The wines are a true high-toned treat– an exuberant playful expression.

A lofty 95-point Editors’ Choice designate from Wine Enthusiast is attached to this great wine, whose secret sauce is the cement tank fermentation it undergoes to preserve vibrancy and seductive red berry aromas.