Cascina Ca’Nova, Ghemme DOCG

With no hesitation whatsoever, we pounced on a newly offered tranche of today’s perfectly preserved Piedmontese red gem. How could we not? Look at the stat sheet: 100% Nebbiolo from DOCG Ghemme; one of the greatest vintages in the last two decades; and a price point that is simply unheard of for a wine of this age, provenance, and pedigree. Such is the appeal of the so-called “Alto Piemonte,” the northern, or “upper,” section of Piedmont that includes not just Ghemme but neighboring Nebbiolo-focused appellations such as Gattinara, Lessona, and Bramaterra. If you are a lover of Barolo and Barbaresco wines but not a lover of their ever-rising prices, it’s likely you’ve already been scouring upper Piedmont for screamers like today’s 2010 from Cascina Ca’Nova. They’re out there, that’s for sure: As we’ve seen over the last decade-plus, long-neglected regions like Ghemme are getting their mojo back in a major way, as exemplified by estates like Ca’Nova: Like many of their local contemporari