2007 Proprieta Sperino, Lessona

The 2007 Lessona is a big wine for this tiny appellation in northern Piedmont. Sweet dark cherries, minerals and mint are just some of the nuances that flow from this textured red. Silky tannins and fresh saline notes frame the fruit through to the finish. This is a stunning bottle from Proprieta Sperino.

Medium red. Captivating aromas of sour cherry, rose petal, cinnamon and musky minerality. Supple on entry, then explosive in the middle palate, offering compelling red fruit perfume without any undue weight. Finishes very long and precise, thanks to terrific acidity and firm but fine-grained tannins. This utterly seamless and very refined mostly-nebbiolo wine is made in the cooler northern reaches of the Piedmont region by Paolo De Marchi, owner of the top Chianti estate Isole e Olena. (ST)

Wine Advocate December, 2010

Dried flowers, cherries, tobacco and herbs are some of the nuances that waft from the glass as the 2007 Uvaggio takes shape. This is a very pretty, understated red that nevertheless possess plenty of mid-palate material, not to mention a terrific sense of harmony. The Uvaggio is a blend of 70% Nebbiolo, 15% Vespolina and 15% Croatina that is vinified along traditional lines, with fermentation/maceration that lasted 3-4 weeks followed by 18 months in 5 and 15-hectoliter casks. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2022.

Robert Parker''s Wine Advocate 30/04/2002

A disappointingly vegetal barrel sample of the 2000 Crozes-Hermitage was tasted, but I am sure this high quality producer can do better than what I saw. There is no doubting the quality of the 1999 Crozes-Hermitage, which was aged in 25% new oak barrels. It is a big, juicy, fleshy, medium to full-bodied effort offering abundant quantities of black currant and cherry fruit intermixed with licorice, a subtle notion of herbs, and spice. The wine is soft, round, and generous. It will drink for 5-7 years.

The 2007 Lessona is a big wine for this tiny appellation in northern Piedmont. Sweet dark cherries, minerals and mint are just some of the nuances that flow from this textured red. Silky tannins and fresh saline notes frame the fruit through to the finish. This is a stunning bottle from Proprieta Sperino. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2022.
-Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate #197 Oct 2011

Paolo De Marchi is best known for the wines he makes at Isole e Olena, but he is originally from Piedmont. In recent years De Marchi and his son Luca have been making huge efforts to put the wines from their family’s estate back on the map. I have been following Proprieta Sperino for some time. These are the first wines that are truly convincing, in fact they are stellar. (94) (88)