The most famous cru in Neive, and the hill this estate owes its name to. Nebbiolo on a south-westerly slope, at least twenty-four months in French oak. Powerful, perfumed and built for the long run.
Deep garnet red, already turning faintly orange at the rim. The nose is broad and perfumed: ripe cherry and plum, dried rose petals, liquorice, tar and a clear balsamic spice from the long wood ageing. On the palate the south-westerly exposure shows at once — this is a more powerful Barbaresco than the commune wine, with more body and riper fruit. The tannin is firm but tightly woven and runs far into the finish, carried by an acidity that keeps the wine light on the tongue despite its strength. The finish is long and spiced. Decant for two hours and serve at 18 degrees.
Cantina Francone has worked out of Neive, in the heart of Barbaresco, since 1892. Five generations on, Marco and Fabrizio Francone run the family estate, whose reputation rests above all on the Gallina hill: a south-facing cru listed on Renato Ratti's historic map of Barbaresco crus.
Gallina is the best-known site in all of Neive and lies south to south-west, so the grapes take in the warmest hours of the day. That makes the wine more powerful than the surrounding parcels give, without costing it any perfume.
Picking is by hand around 10 October. Fermentation is traditional, with roughly fourteen days of maceration on the skins — two days longer than for the commune wine, because these skins have more to give.
At least twenty-four months in French oak barrels follow, and then rest in bottle. The best vintages hold surprises well beyond their tenth year.
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