With the Barbaresco Vigneto Gallina 1997, La Spinetta crafted one of the estate’s first great Nebbiolo wines. Hailing from the south-facing Gallina vineyard near Neive—a storied site at around 250 metres of elevation with calcareous marl soils and a pronounced proportion of pale sand—the vineyard was acquired by the Rivetti family in 1995, the same vintage that saw the debut of La Spinetta’s first Barbaresco.   

The 1997 vintage presents itself with exceptional power and aromatic depth. On the nose, ripe cherry and dark berries meld with kirsch, liquorice, leather, smoke, and exotic spices, joined by balsamic and earthy nuances of bottle age that lend remarkable complexity.  

On the palate, the Barbaresco Vigneto Gallina 1997 offers ample body and extract alongside the aromatic finesse typical of Gallina. Concentrated and sweet-fruited, the palate is supported by vibrant acidity and a still-discernible tannic spine. Dense and supple in texture, it carries notes of liquorice, spice, smoke, and minerality into a long finish, uniting power, velvetiness, and precise aromatic contour to remarkable effect.

Today, the Barbaresco Vigneto Gallina 1997 vividly demonstrates why La Spinetta commanded such acclaim from its very first Barbaresco vintages. Extended bottle maturation has woven the original fruit with leather, tobacco, spice, and balsamic notes without diminishing the wine’s core substance. Resting on an enticing plateau of maturity, well-cellared bottles can continue to gain tertiary complexity.