Platinetti 'Guido' Vino Rosso 2022

Press 4 Mix/Red • May 2024 Direct Press Selection

Andrea Fontana is the farmer and winemaker behind the wines of Guido Platinetti, and their motto reflects what we’re thinking about when we are talking about Zero Sulfur wines this month: Experience, Tradition, Care and Technique.

The family business goes back to the beginning of the 20th century, when Carlo Platinetti and Gaudenzio Fontana, started growing vines in the best areas around Ghemme in the Alto Piemonte region. Literally translating to “High Piedmont” - the area nestled at the base of the Italian Alps lies Italy’s former Nebbiolo-growing power house - a region that housed vineyards as far as one could see, with beautifully terraced vineyards looking over the region. That was until the late 1800s when phylloxera struck and decimated the vines, leaving growers stranded with no means to replant.

This is when Langhe, Barolo, Alba and other regions in Piedmont took over in popularity. Only in the last couple decades Alto Piemonte has made a return to popularity, show-casing a lighter style to the popular red wines of the region that are actively battling climate change to avoid getting heavier and heavier. 

Today we’re proud of show-casing you a wine that I see as the platonic ideal of a red Italian table wine. This is Guido Platinetti’s “Guido” bottling - a field blend of Merlot, Nebbiolo, Barbera, Croatina, Vespolina, amongst others - from vines ranging from 60 to 100 years old. It is an ode to the family’s grandfather, so much so that it has become an annual tradition to celebrate its harvest - a moment when generations come together, the young and the old join together to spend their days in the vines with shears in hand. 

Upon opening you’ll find a wine that shows notes of red plums, sour cherries, roses and forest floor on the nose, all mixed in a hint of a funk that dissipates over the next couple minutes in glass. On the palate, the red fruit evolves into a licorice, spice and orange zest, with a hint of tobacco lingering. High acidity and round tannins help the wine carry this to the finish line, providing a tension that keeps you longing for another sip. In essence, this is what I’d want on those warm nights at the dinner table after the sun has set. It’s incredibly versatile too - from pairing with grilled vegetables and cold cuts to salty snacks and cheeses - Guido is here to provide company.  Nico Haunold