Donnas

The Grosjeans own a miniscule parcel of old Picotendro (the Valdostana name for Nebbiolo) in the fabled appellation of Donnas—the first appellation of the Valle d’Aosta as one crosses the border from Piedmont. Like Carema below, it is similarly configured in its vertiginous terraces and exceedingly stony terroir. Herve produces a single 500-liter cask in which the wine spent 15 months following a natural fermentation in stainless steel. An additional 15 months in bottle has allowed the wine’s tensile, bracing structure to relax a bit, and today it offers intensely sappy red fruits on a sleek, mineral-dominated frame, accented by subtle floral notes and savoy spice. Aging will help it blossom even further, but it is delightfully energetic and vibrant in its youth.