La Cantina di Cuneaz Nadir, Grandgosier, Pinot Nero

The best example of Pinot Noir I have ever tasted from Italy was made by Nadir Cuneaz of Cantina di Cuneaz Nadir. He is a local community college teacher who makes just 54 cases of Pinot Noir each year. The Cuneaz family has 1 acre of vines near the town of Gressan, and some of these vines were planted over a century ago. If you are visiting their cellar, you will see it is simply one of the rooms in their home with a few barrels and tanks. The wine they produce is incredibly elegant with a purity of fruit that causes you to think of Chambolle Musigny. We were only able to get a few cases of this wine, due to its limited production.The wine has a light ruby color with a hint of pink on the rim. The nose is driven by rose petals, wild herbs, black cherry, pomegranate and a hint of spice. The palate has a rich texture with fruit flavors of black cherry, red plums and pomegranate with tannins that are polished and elegant. This is delicious Pinot Noir that will drink well for the next 5-1