There’s been no shortage of hype about the 2021 vintage – a year that producers and pundits have been praising as one of the best in modern history, frequently comparing it to 2016 or 2019. But does it meet those very high expectations?  The preceding winter was key – mild and wet, replenishing water reserves in the soils, an essential resource for the vines to draw on later in the season. The growing season didn’t start too early, and although there was a drop in temperatures in early April (a risk to the early-budding Nebbiolo), frost damage was limited. Reports suggest that lower-altitude sites were hit hardest, but losses were only around 10% – and some producers considered it a form of natural green harvest.  After this early threat to the crop, late April and May were cool and wet, but then the weather was largely warm and dry until harvest. Temperatures weren’t excessive, apart from a brief heatwave in early August, but the water reserves were key to allowing the vines to survive in the dry conditions. Vietti winemaker Eugenio Palumbo explained that they received around 400mm rain across the season, versus the 600-700mm of a normal year.  Storms hit the region in early July, with some hail – although this was localised and impacted Roero, Monferrato and a handful of sites in Barolo. The dry conditions meant disease pressure was minimal. Come September, there was a little rain, helping the vines over the finish line, while the temperatures at night dropped – providing a high diurnal range that helped preserve aromatics and freshness while the fruit developed phenolic maturity.  Harvest got underway at the very end of September (Philine Isabelle Dienger was one of the first out on 29th), running through to the middle of October, with all the Nebbiolo in by the third week of the month.  Aldo Vacca of Produttori del Barbaresco and the Gaja team both compared the vintage to 2016 – emphasising its classic style. The long growing season allowed for structured wines with ripe tannins, yet the cool nights in the run-up to harvest preserved tension and aromatics.  Not everyone agrees on its classicism, however; for Dave Fletcher (Fletcher Wines) it is a vintage with amazing structure, depth and density, but it’s far from typical. Valentina Grasso at Ca’ del Baio explained how tight and dark-fruited the wines are in comparison to those of 2016, needing time to reveal their complexity.  Similarly, Nicola Oberto at Trediberri emphasised how – although many Monforte d’Alba producers thought it was a perfect vintage for the commune – the powerful style of the year didn’t necessarily fit them, preferring the purity of a year like 2022.  Philine Isabelle Dienger noted how the warm, dry conditions were a shock to the vines after 2018, 2019 and 2020, and the ferments were tricky to handle, sluggish. Some noted it was a difficult year to use native yeast, and more opted for cultured yeasts to ensure clean ferments. The Philine Isabelle wines were typically low in alcohol, at around 13.5% with their early-picking philosophy, but most tended to be around and above the 14.5% mark in 2021.  For Burlotto’s Fabio Alessandria, the dry, warm conditions provided just the right amount of stress for the plants and he’s very happy with the quality of the 2021 wines – structured with good density and concentration, yet maintaining balance, akin perhaps to 2019 Burgundy. The wines will undoubtedly need time, he says, but the vintage will reward those who wait.  Most critics are yet to offer their full thoughts on the vintage, although Kerin O’Keefe wrote in an early look at the year that, although it was “a difficult vintage”, the best wines are “stunning, age-worthy wines”, combining “the austerity of 2019 with the elegance of 2016”. Echoing Alessandria, she feels the wines will need a decade to drink at their best. Reporting for jancisrobinson.com, Walter Speller was initially cautious of the “enigmatic” year, wondering if it was as good as people suggested, however now feels it is “an excellent vintage”, offering “more heft and depth than the utterly beguiling and readily accessible 2019”.  Antonio Galloni (Vinous) has published his report and – although it doesn’t quite have “the stratospheric peaks of the most exceptional years”, there are “a bevy of outstanding wines”. The 2021s are “finessed, elegant wines that will delight Piedmont fans”, with “open aromatics, pliant fruit and finessed, ripe tannins” – and the best, he says, are “profoundly expressive”.  Keep your eyes peeled for additional reports on the vintage; we’ll add to this feature as and when we have more information. In the meantime, read more about Italy  Browse all current listings of 2021 Barolo 

Ever since the fruit came into the winery, the Piedmont’s producers have been talking about the 2021 vintage in hallowed terms. As the first Barolos from the year are released, we dive into the revered vintage, looking at what both producers and critics are saying about the year

Diving into the 2021 vintage in Piedmont – the growing season and wines from Barolo and Barbaresco according to producers and critics 

Piedmont 2021: vintage focus 

The history of Piedmont as a fine wine region and the establishment of Nebbiolo as a single-varietal wine predates the unification of Italy. Yet the region’s rise to international fame as Italy’s finest wine was intrinsically linked to the political role that the Piedmont Kingdom played in the unification of Italy. Nebbiolo as Italy’s first single-varietal wine The decision to move away from the generic field blends more typical of wine production in Italy at the time, to a single varietal Nebbiolo, was the first step towards Barolo gaining prominence. This decision also came about through aristocratic influence by the Piedmont nobility at the height of its power, prior to the unification of Italy in 1861. In the 1830s the Marchesi de Barolo married a French aristocrat who as part of her entourage brought with her a talented French oenologist, who after experimenting with many French varietals in the region quickly identified the potential of the indigenous Nebbiolo as a potential single varietal superstar! This French oenologist started to produce single-varietal Nebbiolo on the Marchesi de Barolo’s vineyards and it wasn’t long before the wines gained a reputation amongst the aristocratic classes. The King of Piedmont contacted the Marchesi requesting to taste this wine made from just Nebbiolo that everyone was talking about. The King became a huge fan of the wines and it wasn’t long before the Marchesi was sending 365 barrels of Nebbiolo
to the King for him and his courts to enjoy throughout the year. From then on Nebbiolo as a single varietal had begun to secure its place in fine wine history. The establishment of Barolo It wasn’t long before the King purchased his own wine estate in Barolo, which now exists under the ownership of Frescabaldi. The Piedmont kingdom was the conquering force in the unification of Italy along with the help of the French army that finally conquered the Spanish rule of Sicily and southern Italy and eventually Rome leaving just the Vatican and the Pope isolated from the rest of the newly
declared unified state of Italy in 1861. Amazingly there was no diplomatic relationship between the Vatican State and the Italian government until Mussolini reached out to them in 1932. The power of the Piedmont kingdom and its role in the unification of Italy meant that Barolo retained its status with the aristocratic elites of Italy and beyond and became known as the premium wine-producing region of the newly declared country. Its prominence and reputation remained ever since. The Barolo region became renowned throughout the country and Nebbiolo took its crown as the king of Italian wine. Barolo following the unification became more and more established with merchants moving in to seize the opportunity of this prestigious and unique Italian wine. At this time, apart from the noble families (Marchesi Di Barolo, Rinaldi, Bourgogno) all the
rest of the Barolo wines were bottled in Alba under merchant’s labels. Alba, much like Bordeaux, became a thriving merchants hub and the wine began to be exported overseas. Barbaresco: the unfortunate struggling sibling to Barolo History is full of cruel twists and the development of Barbaresco for much of the 19th and 20th centuries was a struggle for survival, unlike their more established neighbour Barolo - with its royal seal of approval. Today Barbaresco is being seen very much as Barolo’s equal but its survival is in no doubt down to two central figures of the region Gaja and the Produttori Di Barbaresco. 
The history of Gaja of Barbaresco The history of Gaja is extraordinary and singular in its rise to fame in the region and is a testament to the foresight of Giovanni Gaja and his son and French wife Clothide Rey. The Gaja family were not nobility but farmers, yet they became the first to bottle their own wine in Barbaresco in 1859. This became possible because the family owned a small tavern in the town which catered for the merchants that passed through Barbaresco as it was an active Port, distributing goods. At the tavern, the Gaja family used to make their wine and serve them from jars at the restaurant. At that time all other growers would sell their grapes to merchants in Alba to make wine.  Buoyed by the income of selling their own wines at their tavern Giovanni Gaja in 1859 then decided to bottle his best barrels in bottle (at this time this was often a blend of vintages). But these became the first Barbarescos ever to be bottled as Barbaresco. The family became further governed by quality when Angelo Gaja and his wife Clothide Rey took over from
his father. Their qualitative approach philosophy in a region that at the time was so underdeveloped is extraordinary. The family’s motto – fair, savoir faire, savoir faire faire et faire saviour (Work, knowledge, motivating others to work and passing on knowledge) has not faltered right up until today.  1958 was an important date for the Gaja family because this was recognised in Barolo as a fantastic vintage and it became the first vintage of Barolo to sell for over a 1,000 lira a bottle. The average price at the time for the best producers (such as Renato Ratti) was closer to 300 lira. This 1,000 lira price tag therefore became a big deal and was the beginning of Barolo
becoming recognised internationally as one of the world’s finest and most expensive wines. Yet despite this high price tag of Barolo, Giovanni Gaja was selling his current Barbaresco release at this time for 1,200 lira! This just showed the Barbaresco from Gaja even in those early days was outpricing the best wines of Barolo. The history of the Produttori del Barberesco The history of Barbaresco outside of the extraordinary success of Gaja was a lot less smooth. Through this period the region remained largely unknown for wine production despite successfully growing Nebbiolo like its neighbour Barolo and being home to the region’s best producer Gaja. However, there is another unique and profound development that took place in Barbaresco that also has shaped the region as one of Italy’s finest wine-producing regions for single varietal Nebbiolo that unlike Barolo did not rely on the aristocratic influence for its rise to fame. If anything, Barbaresco’s rise to fame, including Gaja’s development was the success of the
workers of the land rather than nobility. This came in the form of the socialist collective that started to bottle its own wine in Barbaresco under the Produttori Di Barberesco label.  Speaking with Aldo Vacca, today’s chief winemaker at the co-op it was a man called Dominizio Cavazza who was become known as the Father of Barbaresco. He moved to the region when he got a job working as the Director of the Wine School of Alba in 1890.  He immediately saw the potential of Barbaresco as a fine wine region and whilst he had no land, he knew if he could persuade the small landowners to compile their crops, he could make a fine wine that they could bottle and sell themselves rather than selling their crop to
the Alba merchants. By 1894 he had managed to persuade five farmers and two
landowners to contribute the crop and the cooperative was formed. At this time socialism was taking hold in many parts of Europe enabling small landowners to work together to enable them to manage their own produce without relying on the aristocratic landowners. Prior to the Bolshevik revolution in Russia in 1917, these socialist projects in Western Europe were seen as a very positive social development and was transforming the social structure across the region. Initially Cavazza believed that Barbaresco should be incorporated as part of the Barolo District but as Barolo by this time was already well established, thanks to its aristocratic ties, the Barolo producers had no interest in extending their boundaries. This decision in itself was to have a devastating impact on Barbaresco for the next 50 years. Whilst the cooperative became very successful in the early years, the First World War followed by economic hardship and the rise of fascism in Italy which actively shut down cooperatives in Europe, saw the Produttori cease to exist.  It wasn’t until 1954 that the co-operative project was reborn by the local priest – Don Fiorino, who on moving to the region heard about the early success of Cavazza and wanted to rekindle this success. For the priest the cooperative was essential in the survival of the local community that unlike Barolo was decimated by poverty and hardship through the first half of the 20th century. The 1950s saw the industrial boom in Italian cities which saw huge swathes of the countryside deserted as young men and women flocked to the cities for better wages in the automobile and other industries. To encourage people to stay in Barbaresco, Don Fiorino reopened the cooperative promising any landowners who joined him that they would be given fair and
reliable income if they stayed and worked the land. Dom Fiorino’s foresight was to be commended as ever since it opened the co-op has gone from strength to strength. Similar to Gaja, it is due to a strict qualitative approach that has meant this co-op is today producing arguably the world’s finished wines from a cooperative. These days, thanks to Gaja and Produttori, Barbaresco is producing some of Italy’s finest wines. Explore more Editorial 

We look back at the rise of Barolo and its neighbouring sibling Barbaresco's less fortunate, rocky road to fortune.


The historic rise of Nebbiolo

Jaime Araujo’s surname is a familiar one to Napa collectors. Her parents Daphne and Bart purchased the famed Eisele Vineyard in Calistoga in 1990 and established their eponymous winery on the site shortly after. Jaime was enrolled in university at the time and wouldn’t join her parents in Napa for many years, instead spending over two decades studying and working in Europe, including a stint at Moët Hennessey. She arrived in Napa in 2012 to work alongside her parents as a business consultant, but the job was short-lived, when the winery and Eisele Vineyard was sold to Artémis Domaines (the parent company of Ch. Latour) in 2013.   While her parents went on to establish Accendo Cellars, with Jaime and her brother as partners, the itch to build a business of her own only grew stronger. “I always wanted to run a business as a force for good,” she recalls. She got her chance during the first vintage at Accendo in 2013, when she turned a Cabernet Sauvignon lot that didn’t quite fit in with any of the Accendo cuveés into her first 300 cases of Trois Noix wine. (The name – French for “three nuts” – is a cheeky reference to her two children, as well as her brother’s daughter, all quite young at the time.)   Despite her family’s legacy, and perhaps the temptation to enter the market at the top end, as many newcomers do, Jaime was intent to create wines that were approachable and embodied sustainability ideals. This included a pricing strategy that skewed heavily towards affordable options, ranging from $30-50 per bottle and the most expensive Cabernet Sauvignon topping out at $150. “I’m not in this to make billions,” she laughs. “It’s so important that Napa is accessible to as many people as possible. You have to be welcoming and make wines that appeal to everyone.”    Even before Jaime was developing her brand, Steve Matthiasson had been quietly establishing a reputation as one of Napa’s most respected organic winegrowing experts. After studying horticulture as a graduate student at the University of California Davis, he launched his wine career in 1995 as a viticultural consultant, going on to settle in Napa with his wife Jill Klein Matthiasson in 2002 and building an impressive client roster. Since 2007, Steve has worked closely with the Araujo family, first for Eisele vineyard – where he continues to consult – as well as at Accendo. Other current and past clients include Dalla Valle, Spottswoode and Chappellet.   The process of becoming a winemaker in addition to viticulturalist, however, has been a slow and steady process. Matthiasson says he learned about wine almost by osmosis over the years, sitting in on client tastings and by keen observation. In 2003, Steve and Jill produced just 120 cases under their name, but by 2017, they reached a major milestone with the purchase of a small winemaking facility and neighbouring vineyard in the Oak Knoll AVA – a massive accomplishment for two outsiders with little initial capital. Last year, their production reached 12,000 cases, stretched across 25 unique cuveés. Today, Steve farms most of the vineyards he makes wine from, including a small vineyard at his home, where he has planted rows of northern Italian varieties, including Refosco, Ribolla Gialla and Schioppettino.   Inside the compact Matthiasson winery, cosy by Napa standards, foudres line the walls and nearly every inch is occupied with equipment, case goods and barrels. In the corner, a stack of large glass jars filled with liquids of varying colours sits – the aromatics steeping in alcohol for vermouth, Steve explains, which he and his wife make along with olive oil and jam, as accompaniments to the unique lineup of wines Matthiasson produces, ranging from single-vineyard Cabernets to more esoteric fruit and wine co-ferments. While many collectors still may not have heard of Matthiasson, Steve says he is proud to be sought after by sommeliers and others in the wine trade: “We like to say we’re the musicians’ musician.”   Both Jaime and Steve believe strongly that their businesses must be both environmentally and socially responsible. “It’s so important to stand up for what you believe in,” Jaime emphasises. Today, Trois Noix boasts a range of sustainability initiatives, including B Corp status, a high-level sustainability certification which only two other wineries in Napa currently possess. Though not specific to wine or agriculture, B Corp certification is awarded after a rigorous assessment to prove a dedication to positive community impact alongside profit.   In the same vein, all of the vineyards Steve farms for Matthiasson are organic, which is the certification that is the most meaningful to him – and represents a full circle of sorts from his early days studying agriculture, when winemaking was not yet on the horizon. “Organic farming has become not just accepted but embraced since I’ve been here,” Steve says, saying that it’s becoming the norm rather than the exception, especially so for the most well-known cult Napa wineries. “And it’s not just for PR,” he adds, saying many don’t broadcast their farming practices. “They truly believe it makes better wine.” Steve believes the standard of farming has improved dramatically since he arrived in Napa and so has the quality of the resulting fruit. “As the years have gone by, our ability to do the right thing has increased,” he says.  The resulting wines that both Trois Noix and Matthiasson produce are crafted in a fresh style, with an emphasis on primary fruit and terroir-specific cuvées, as opposed to dominant oak or heavy extraction that have been the trend for fine wine in Napa. Araujo says she is trying to craft wines that are reminiscent of Napa 50 years ago, by using a light hand. “We started getting bigger and bolder in Napa, and that’s fine, but we can do this, too, and do it well.” Araujo describes her goal each vintage as crafting wines in a “sweet spot”, built to enjoy immediately but also with the structure and acidity to age for several years at a minimum.    At Matthiasson, pick dates are watched closely, and occur on the early side for Napa, so that alcohols remain low and acidity is naturally brisk. Other than a small amount of sulphur, no other additions are made. “We utilise traditional winemaking methods,” Steve says – quick to note, though, with a laugh, that there is a difference between “natural and natty”, explaining that his goal is to make fresh, clean wines from the healthiest fruit possible. Unlike other Napa wineries that employ optical sorters and tables lined with harvest workers examining every berry, Mathiasson does not sort the fruit prior to fermentation, trusting instead in the farming and meticulous picking over multiple passes.   “We’ve always been an agricultural community, and no one wanted to talk about that for a long time,” Jaime tells me. She believes the future of Napa will be a focus on not just high quality but also history, community and a reputation for doing the right thing. These will not be talking points for her brand only, however, as last year she was elected Board Chair of the Napa Valley Vintners. A nonprofit trade association founded in 1944, NVV acts as a voice for the wine business in Napa Valley, promoting, supporting and advocating for its over 500 members. “I’m a bridge between old and new because of my family and my experience,” Jaime says, explaining that she hopes to bring a fresh perspective on the future of Napa, one that emphasises a range of styles and price points, but most of all, is able to welcome a wider range of people than ever before, by showing the varied people and places of the region. Matthiasson voices a similar ethos. “The wine business has so much artifice, but we want to let people in.”  Matthiasson and Trois Noix collaborated on a special lot for Premiere Napa Valley last year – a lot that we purchased and will soon be releasing. Please contact your Account Manager to register interest. 

In a region where wine is often a byword for luxury, two producers are dedicated to reminding drinkers of Napa’s humble roots. Rachael Ryan – Senior Buyer for our US arm, Vinfolio – talks to Jaime Araujo and Steve Matthiasson about their philosophy, farming and approach to making wine 

Two Napa wine producers are championing economic, environmental and social sustainability: we talk to Trois Noix’s Jaime Araujo and Steve Matthiasson 

Farming for the future: Trois Noix and Matthiasson 

The 2022 vintage was the second in a row to be marked by drought. In his first look at the vintage, Walter Speller (jancisrobinson.com) emphasised how the winter offered little to no snow – and therefore snowmelt. While heavy rains can often run off the slopes, the trickle of snowmelt is more easily absorbed by the soils, meaning that in 2022 the already depleted water reserves (after the dry 2021 growing season) weren’t replenished.  The dry weather continued through the spring, and in late May the mercury started to rise. Flowering took place early (around 10 days ahead of normal). July became warmer and drier, and producers were conscious of managing canopies to avoid potential sun damage. The lack of water resulted in small berries and clusters, meaning a high skin-to-pulp ratio, but the main concern with the water stress was that it may block ripening – and in particular impact phenolic maturity.  Thanks to the steady, warm conditions, harvest got underway early, with all the Nebbiolo in by early October – producers looking to preserve aromatics and freshness in the heat. With no rain, there was little – if any – disease pressure, but sorting was still important to avoid shrivelled or sunburnt berries. Indeed, at Produttori del Barbaresco, Aldo Vacca said they lost around 10% via sorting, while with the small berries and sorting, Dave Fletcher (Fletcher Wines) had between 20 and 30% less than a normal year.  To succeed in the year, producers had to preserve acidity and manage the potentially excessive tannins from the small bunches produced, as well as sorting out any sun-damaged fruit.  At Burlotto, Fabio Alessandria told us that 2022 was “something never seen” – an atypical growing season that doesn’t compare to any that came before it. With warm, dry conditions and low yields, he expected big, rich, tannic wines – but has been surprised by their gentle approachability. It’s not a classic or great vintage in his books, but one that offers great pleasure. Similarly, Nicola Oberto (Trediberri) finds the wines don’t reflect the intensity of the year’s conditions.  Few critics have reviewed the vintage yet, although there’s a clear consensus that it is not an outstanding vintage and sits behind 2021, with more fruit-forward, but also approachable, wines. Vinous’s Antonio Galloni has been pleasantly surprised by the wines so far. He emphasises that managing yield was key, ensuring the crop load was low enough for the vine to ripen the fruit. Despite the risk of phenolic under-ripeness, he has found the wines to be softer than he anticipated, with generally less oak used, producing wines that will offer “near to medium-term drinking”, if not great ageability.   Keep your eyes peeled for additional reports on the vintage; we’ll add to this feature as and when we have more information. In the meantime, read more about Italy  Browse all current listings of 2022 Barbaresco

After the hallowed 2021 vintage in Piedmont, 2022 was a more challenging growing season. The wines it produced, however, have so far surprised both winemakers and critics. As the first 2022 Barbarescos are set to be released, we take a look at the year 

Diving into the 2022 vintage in Piedmont – the growing season and wines from Barolo and Barbaresco according to producers and critics 

Piedmont 2022 – Barolo and Barbaresco vintage 

Piedmont 2022: vintage focus 

Bordeaux 2023  Unsurprisingly, our coverage of the latest Bordeaux vintage was top of the most-read list this year. From our first look, our full report and breakdown of the year by commune to our round-up of what the critics were saying about the vintage, there’s no doubt that Bordeaux 2023 caught your attention.  Read all our coverage of the vintage here  Burgundy  The allure of the Côte d’Or and its expressions of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir don’t look set to fade. With the release of the latest vintage from Burgundy always straddling New Year, our most-read features included coverage of both 2022 (with our summary of what the critics thought of the year) as well as our first look at the 2023 vintage, which we’re currently immersed in, as well as Jasper Morris MW’s feature for FONDATA on eight domaines to watch and our essential guide to the region.  Read all Burgundy features  Advocating for change: William Kelley  In under a decade, William Kelley has gone from an unknown academic to one of the wine world’s most familiar faces and influential voices. Now in situ as the Wine Advocate’s Editor-in-Chief, we sat down with the wine critic and winemaker to talk about his accidental career and his plans for the publication.  Read more  Rino Fontana: a collector like no other  Named by Antonio Galloni as his Wine Personality of the Year in 2023, Rino Fontana is a collector like no other. He has been squirrelling away Piedmont’s treasures since he started visiting the region’s wineries in the 1980s. But he has eyes only for one grape: Nebbiolo. We sat down to talk about his journey into wine, extraordinary cellar and obsession with this regal variety.   Read more  Telmo Rodríguez: the eternal battle  Over the last three decades, Telmo Rodríguez has relentlessly fought for Spain’s vinous heritage, forging a new face for the nation’s wines. We caught up with the indefatigable winemaker to talk about his eternal battle to right previous wrongs and Matallana, his most ambitious project to date.  Read more  See what was popular last year or read more Editorial 

From in-depth vintage reports to interviews with the industry’s leading names, we’ve published a whole host of features over the course of 2024. Of it all, however, these were the stories that proved most popular

The most popular wine and spirits features we published in 2024 – as chosen by you, from detailed vintage reports to deep-dive interviews 

The biggest wine and spirits stories of 2024 

The biggest stories of 2024 

“We’re just sort of making it up as we go along,” Andy Erickson says to me on our transatlantic Zoom call, shrugging and smiling as we talk about his and his wife’s project, Favia. It’s not necessarily what you’d expect this star consultant winemaker to say – having helped craft the likes of Screaming Eagle, Harlan, Dalla Valle, Staglin, Mayacamas and more. It’s hard to believe that anything this man does is a fluke of fate. And yet this self-effacing tone is a thread that runs throughout my conversation with Erickson and his wife Annie Favia.  Favia brings her own, similarly enviable resume, having worked at Kongsgaard, Corison and for many years alongside cult viticulturist David Abreu, giving her unparalleled experience of Napa’s finest vineyards. She and Erickson met at a dinner party almost 30 years ago, instantly hit it off, and within six months were making their first barrel of wine together, tucked in the corner of their garage. That first experimental barrel of 1996 Russian River Pinot Noir (of which they still have a few bottles) was the start of something that grew as they and their family did, and the Favia label was born in 2001, although it was a couple of years before there was more than a barrel or two to sell.   The concept behind the brand is simple: “It’s our expression of what we think Napa Valley wine should be,” explains Erickson. But Favia has also been a project where they could experiment, push the envelope and play with the “pioneering freedom” (in Erickson’s words) that Napa offers. The flexibility to purchase grapes from different areas, pick and choose varietals, and work with no constraints in the winery is something they clearly savour.  The project focuses on Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc – the latter in particular a grape they both love. Inspired by the likes of Ausone, Cheval Blanc, the reds of the Loire and Dalla Valle’s Maya (a wine that Erickson now makes), they were keen to play with the varietal, crafting two Cabernet Franc blends – Cerro Sur and La Magdalena. As Annie Favia explains, “[Cabernet Franc] allows you to make one kind of wine if you pick it at one time, and then a completely different wine if you pick it at another time.”  More than anything, however, Favia is about expressing a sense of place and connection to the land. “When I was growing up, my mom was an avid gardener and I spent a lot of time with her in the garden,” says Annie. “So it's always been really kind of home to me.” It’s unsurprising perhaps that their Coombsville property is far from just a vineyard and winery, but a homestead of sorts. “We really love to grow all kinds of things,” Annie says eagerly. While vines are the main crop, Annie also farms a range of other plants – largely for her loose-leaf tea company, ERDA, but also fruit and vegetables for the family table. “Growing different crops allows you to look at grapevines in a different way,” she explains.   For the Favia label, they work exclusively with fruit from Oakville and Coombsville, and while Oakville is arguably one of the most prestigious appellations in Napa, Coombsville is less well known. Fruit from the AVA has often been blended away into regional wines, but with its volcanic soils and proximity to the San Pablo Bay bringing cooling influences, they love its concentrated power, naturally fresh acidity and savoury quality, and more forward-focused tannins versus the broader profile of Oakville.   Although Erickson is increasingly focused on Favia, he still consults for a handful of carefully selected estates – something he can’t see giving up. “It’s a great outlet,” he tells me, explaining how different it is to channel a client’s vision for a project, versus craft your own wine exactly the way you want. Much like the various crops they farm, it’s another way for them to learn, experiment and develop. And yet, “Presenting something that you’ve made to people and getting a response…” Erickson says. “I love that part of what we do.”  Two decades after Favia was born, they’ve received significant investment from the Huneeus family (which owns Quintessa), along with a new 86-acre property in Oakville, where they’ll soon be starting work on a new winery, taking the project to the next level. “We’re going to be doing exactly what we’ve done for 20-plus years, but now have an even bigger farm and more fruit trees and more gardens and more wine to share with people. And it’s just really fun,” says Annie, the excitement clear in her expression. They’ll be bringing back Sauvignon Blanc, which they’ve made in the past, and are making their first wine with a tiny plot of Malbec they planted – a variety they’re considering with climate change.  On paper, Favia and Erickson are a formidable duo – with CVs that offer a roll-call of Napa icons – and yet they are entirely unassuming. Their absolute passion for the vine, for farming, the region and their craft shines through; and while they might be as down-to-earth as they come, it’s already clear that Favia is destined to reach great heights.  The latest releases of Favia are available now 

Annie Favia and Andy Erickson are Napa royalty. As the 2021 vintage of their personal project, Favia, is released via La Place, we caught up with the couple about their label, estate and vision for the region

Exploring the wines of Favia, Annie Favia and Andy Erickson’s Napa project, and how it’s growing after two decades

Annie Favia and Andy Erickson’s Favia 

Growing up: Favia

I’m sitting opposite Rino Fontana, an Italian wine collector that Antonio Galloni named his Wine Personality of the Year in 2023. Fontana looks unassuming – like any other septuagenarian that you might find, cigarette in hand, knocking back an espresso in a sunny piazza. Sunglasses hang on a string around his neck, and occasionally he rifles through scraps of paper that seem to operate as a calendar and/or journal. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but it was perhaps someone a little more, well, suave. Fontana has been collecting wine since the 1980s and is renowned for his cellar, a treasure trove of remarkable vintages from Piedmont’s top producers. Indeed, Galloni has dubbed him “Il Professore” for his extensive knowledge of Italian wine – despite never having worked in the industry. As Fontana scrolls through pictures on his phone, recalling recent dinners, he rolls off names and vintages that would leave any wine-lover speechless. He grew up in the Oltrepò Pavese, where his father was a stonemason, but would buy grapes and make a little wine for the family. Fontana was sent to school in Valenza, a town known for its gold industry – and he started working in a gold factory in his late teens. Aged 24, he and his best friend opened their own jewellery workshop. It was the owner of a local restaurant in nearby Mortara who introduced Fontana to the real pleasures of wine, and a bottle of Conterno’s Monfortino that made him fall head over heels for Nebbiolo – the 1958 vintage, in fact. Since that first taste, he’s opened over 150 bottles (yes, really) of the 1958 Monfortino. It was that wine that prompted Fontana to start visiting producers – an adventure in self-education. At the time, people weren’t buying wine, and Italy’s winemakers were far from fashionable. He became friends with the likes of Giuseppe Rinaldi, Bruno Giacosa and Gianfranco Soldera, rapidly securing significant allocations of their wines when few others were showing interest. Producers, in turn, suggested he had a gift – unique in his ability to understand wines in barrel and foretell their future. Today, he covers around 80,000km a year visiting producers – but the vast majority of that mileage is in Piedmont, for Fontana drinks – and collects – little other than Nebbiolo. This one grape represents around 95% of his consumption, he says, with Barolo and/or Barbaresco on the menu every day. He always has the latest releases on hand in the fridge – even some basic Langhe Nebbiolo, but at least twice a week he’ll uncork something special from the 1960s or ’80s with wine-loving friends or producers. While Nebbiolo is one of many grapes to be declared “the king of wines”, for Fontana it really does reign supreme. When I ask why, marvelling at how he could drink so much of just one variety, he shrugs: “Nebbiolo is Nebbiolo.” When I push him, he says he loves its ageability, structure and elegance – something he feels you can’t find in Pinot Noir. He recalls a recent dinner with Galloni at Il Centro in Priocca, sharing a bottle of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti’s 2004 La Tâche alongside a 1947 Borgogno Barolo and 1989 Vigna Rionda from Giacosa. Both the Barolos, he says, grew over the dinner – while the La Tâche faded slowly. For him, Burgundy (even the world’s most sought-after bottles) is no match for Nebbiolo. That’s a controversial opinion – but Fontana is not a man short of views. He dismisses the wines of Cappellano and Accomasso, while he has firm beliefs on how Nebbiolo should be made, favouring traditional winemaking with old oak – not wanting to feel the wood in the wine. He argues that too many young producers are going to Burgundy and trying to echo that style in their wines, losing their Piedmontese identity. The resulting wines are, he feels, too technical, too clean. “Great wine can’t be perfect,” he says – suggesting that those imperfections are partly what makes wine feel alive. While the most established and famous producers dominate his collection, he also likes the wines from newer names such as Trediberri, Crissante and Cascina Baricchi. Beyond Nebbiolo, he’ll dabble in certain labels of Sangiovese – Soldera, for example will pass muster, as well as SanCarlo (a producer he feels rivals the former). Montevertine’s Le Pergole Torte would previously have been a prime choice, but now he’d choose Le Boncie’s Le Trame instead. He likes Valentini and Emidio Pepe, and used to buy Gravner but feels the style changed in 2004 so stopped. He sold his jewellery business in 2000 – dedicating his time entirely to wine – visiting producers, building his collection and selling to select parties (of which FINE+RARE is lucky enough to be one). Fontana has around 9,000 bottles in his collection today. He shows us a video of his cellar – intriguingly with many of the wines stored upright. Anything post 1990 is kept on its side, but older wines stand proud in his cellar – something which he argues is better once they reach a certain age, with the cork and humidity of the cellar more important in their preservation. It’s a remarkable collection, with incredible verticals of many wines. His access seems unparalleled – receiving larger allocations than many importers, given his historical ties. He is the only individual, for example, to receive an allocation of Rinaldi’s Brunate Cru – a wine that is otherwise kept exclusively for the family. Some of his most prized bottles are Giacosa’s 1964 Santo Stefano and magnums of 1970 Monfortino (“amazing” – he says), while he has a soft spot for the youthful 2015 Soldera. Now aged 73, Fontana seems just as enchanted by wine as when he first tasted that 1958 Monfortino. I ask him if there’s a wine he is still desperate to taste, a unicorn that he’s still hunting: the answer is no. He’s been able to try every vintage from the producers he loves. It’s a rare answer for a wine lover – but “Il Professore” isn’t your average wine collector. – Photography of Rino Fontana at Il Centro by Dan Deibel Explore a selection of top verticals from Fontana’s cellar, all Italian listings or read more Editorial

Friends with Vinous founder and critic Antonio Galloni, and with a cellar that will turn you green with envy, Rino Fontana is Italy’s most famous wine collector. We sat down with the man himself to find out more about his journey into wine, incredible collection and obsession with one grape  

Antonio Galloni’s Wine Personality of the Year 2023, Rino Fontana is Italy’s most famous wine collector – we met the man to talk about his cellar

Rino Fontana – the wine collector like no other

Rino Fontana: a collector like no other

At this time Barolo was typically sold either by cask and blended by Alba merchants or in demi-john glass containers. On returning from the First World War, Giacomo Conterno had a clear vision that he wanted to produce a top cuvee that showed just how well Nebbiolo could perform if only the finest grapes were selected from top vintages and aged extensively in cask giving the wine more intensity, structure and ageing potential. We look into how the wine has developed over its 100-year existence and explore some of the legendary vintages. Barolo in fine wine terms is a relatively modern phenomenon. Whilst there are records of historic bottles of Barolo being produced as far back as the 1880s, for instance a bottle of Bourgogno Barolo 1886 was sold at an auction in 1972, there were very few producer-named Barolos being bottled at the time and no one making a Riserva style.  For the first 54 years of Monfortino, up to the now legendary 1978 vintage, the wine was
made from entirely purchased grapes. Whilst the winemaking in the family dates back to the early 18th century they did not own any vineyards until 1974. As Barolo’s reputation gained in status, grape prices were increasing and the fruit became less easily available as more and more growers began to bottle their own wine. It was at this point Giovanni (Giacomo's son) knew if they were to stay in business they needed to buy land.  He purchased the 14-hectare plot of Cascina Francia, a west-to-southwest-facing vineyard that ranges from 350 to 440 metres in altitude located on the southern limits of the Barolo region in the Serralunga range of hills. It has the Falletto vineyard (famous for Bruno Giacosa’s single vineyard site) nearby to the north on the Serralunga side. The first vintage of Monfortino produced entirely from the Francia vineyard is the much-celebrated 1978 vintage which was produced from just four-year-old vines. Ever since, all of the Barolo wines from Giacomo Conterno (Barolo “Francia”, Barolo Riserva and Barolo Riserva “Monfortino”) have been produced exclusively from the Francia vineyard.  Giacomo was then joined in the business by his two sons, Giovanni and Aldo, however, their differing ideas about how Barolo should be produced meant that Aldo split from his family to start his own winery, which represents a more modern style of winemaking. The estate is now run by Giacomo’s grandson Roberto, who continues to drive this estate from strength to strength. In 2008 Roberto Conterno bought three hectares of the famed Cru vineyard of Ceretta, producing the first Barolo from the vineyard with the 2010 vintage. Another addition to the
Conterno portfolio came in 2015 with the purchase of 6 hectare plot of which 3.5 hectares are dedicated to Barolo production in the Arione vineyard that neighbours Conterno’s Francia vineyard to the south. Roberto released just three barrels of Barolo Arione from the 2015 vintage. On tasting the two wines Monica Larner states, that if the Francia vineyard produces wines of “elegance” then the Arione vineyard produces “power”. The estate also produces a highly rated Barbera D’Alba. Since the 1978 vintage, just 18 vintages have been made. The wine continues to be made in the same traditional method throughout, ageing the wine in large 200 – 7500 litre oak barrels. The minimum cask ageing for the Monfortino is seven years. Top modern vintages Of the 100-point rated 2010 Barolo Monfortino Riserva, Antonio Galloni writes that this wine is “utterly compelling…nuanced and vivid on the palate, the 2010 Monfortino possesses remarkable finesse and power. Classic Monfortino notes of dried rose petal, leather, licorice and incense develop beautifully in the glass as the wine literally takes hold of all the
senses…. A vivid, thrilling wine, the 2010 will soon take its place among the greatest Monfortinos ever made.”  The quality of the wine produced at this estate is so consistently high, especially of the Monfortinos, that Galloni writes that: “readers will have much fun debating which is the greatest Monfortino of recent years." Could it be the 1996, 1999 or 2002 for their huge structure and classicism? Or, is it 1997 for its opulence? What if the dark horse 1998 and 2000 steal the show? Personally, I adore the 2001 and 2004 for their completeness, but the 2004 is the sexiest of them all.” Some of the best vintages at this estate have been 1978, 1990, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010. Monfortino 1961 To celebrate 100 years of Cantina Conterno since the first harvest we cracked open a 1961 Monfortino. Whilst this wine is now seriously developed, its retention in acidity and viscous
richness was quite extraordinary at 60 years old. Tasting through the bottle as it developed in the glass, the wine’s aromatics ebbed and flowed from earthy, savoury ferrous notes to wafts of beautiful floral perfume, sweet tobacco, dry spice and fresh leather. There was plenty going on in the palate too – candied and dried orange rind, bitters, dried cherry, fig, licorice and tamarind notes. This is perhaps more of a museum piece today but the retention in structure at 60 years old is impressive. Read more Editorial 

Giacomo Conterno’s Monfortino is the most celebrated and famous Barolo in the world. It is also said to be the first-ever producer-named Barolo made in the Riserva style, the first vintage being made in the 1920s. 

Exploring how Giacomo Conterno's fabled Montfortino Barolo wine has developed over the past 100 years

Monfortino, the world's most celebrated Barolo

Behind the bottle: Monfortino

Nebbiolo d'Alba

Piedmont

Italy

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