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Tenute Sella
eng.tenutesella.it

From Left to Right, Gioacchino Sella and Cristiano Garella (Winemaker)
Country of Origin: Italy
Location: Biella, Piedmont
People: Sella Family, Owners | Cristiano Garella, Winemaker


Tenute Sella is one of the oldest European wineries that has never changed ownership. At the end of the 17th century, the family invested in agriculture by acquiring a vineyard in Lessona. The terroir of Lessona is defined by ancient marine sands with acidic pH. The family has honored its commitment to Lessona for the past three centuries and today. From the second half of the 19th century, the Sella Family bought hilly lands in the Bramaterra region, combining them into a single beautiful estate. The investment originates from the vision of being able to produce, continuing the local tradition, special wines with an expression of peculiar soils, mostly porphyry of volcanic origin.

Today they try to represent the excellence of Northern Piedmont respecting their history and tradition. From their 22 hectares of vineyards, they produce about 90 thousand bottles, fruit of the grape varieties typical of the Biella region: Nebbiolo, Vespolina, Croatina and Erbaluce, vinified in a classic style. Their goal is to transpose into the glass an image of the terroir and of the vintages. There was a time when this was a winegrowing region widely recognized in Italy and abroad; it lost some ground during the twentieth century, but today, we want to bring back these wines to the fame they deserve.

Lessona: Lessona is located in the central-eastern area of the Biella province, in the part of Northern Piedmont on the right bank of the river Sesia basin. The area of Lessona takes up a series of ridge hills, protected northwards by the first pre-Alpine mountains. The soils of the hills planted with vines are constituted mainly of orange-tinged Pliocene marine sand rich in quartz, iron and manganese, here and there mixed with loess clay, while in the valley bottoms are found marine sands with fossils of shellfish. The pH of these soils, between 4.5 and 5.5, makes them rank among the most acidic vineyard soils in the world.

Bramaterra: The Bramaterra region includes from west to east the municipalities of Masserano, Brusnengo, Curino, Roasio, Sostegno, Villa del Bosco and Lozzolo. Located immediately east of Lessona, it covers a broad range of hills that reaches up to the eastern boundary of the province of Biella, in the part of Northern Piedmont on the right bank of the river Sesia basin. Geologically, there is a crown of 3 different islands of quartz porphyry, a relatively loose volcanic rock derived from gas-rich magma, of Permian origin, accompanied by a limestone island (in Sostegno), and by the widespread presence of marine sand and clay (especially in the eastern side of the region). 

Winemaking Notes: The harvest, fully manual, is carried out using boxes loading no more then 15 kilos each. A first selection is made in the vineyard, a second one in the cellar using a sorting table. Then the grapes are de-stemmed and soft crushed, so as to preserve at maximum the quality of the skins. The fermentation for the classic wines range takes place in stainless steel vats, while oak vats are used for the special selections. The need for oxygen of fermenting musts is guaranteed with pump-over and delestage: each operation is decided according to taste. They adopt long maceration on the skins, varying from 14-16 days of Barbera grapes for Orbello to almost 40 days for the best Nebbiolo grapes used for Lessona and Bramaterra. All the grape varieties are vinified separately in order to better express and enhance the varietal features. After the first winter, naturally, the red wines undergo malolactic fermentation, which we assist with batonnage (lees stirring). Once malolactic fermentation is carried out, limited intervention takes place. Rackings are reduced to exploit the anti-oxidant effect of lees in order to limit the use of sulfur dioxide and to preserve the typical aromatic expression of the grapes. 

For the white vinification, after de-stemming and crushing, they proceed with a couple of days of cold pre-fermentation with the help of dry ice, in order to cool the grapes more quickly by limiting the oxidation; then they prolong the slow fermentation for three weeks, keeping the temperature always below 15°C. For the rosé wine the process is similar- for the percentage of grapes directly crushed- then they add 40% from the drainage of the total mass of their best Nebbiolo vats. The white and rosé wines are aged for a few months in stainless steel vats: these are the only wines that do not age in wood.

Vinous by Antonio Galloni (3/2014)
"Sella is one of the top estates in Northern Piedmont. I have always adored these wines since I first visited the estate a decade ago. I was reminded of how beautiful the wines are when I enjoyed a stellar bottle of the flagship 2006 Omaggio a Quintino Sella recently. Sella's Nebbiolo-based reds capture the essence of the Lessona and Bramaterra appellations. Stylistically, the wines are medium in body. Aging is done mostly in cask, which confers mid-weight structures and a classic sense of tannin. These gorgeous, food-friendly wines remain accessibly priced and should be a part of any well-stocked cellar, especially for readers looking for ageworthy reds that don't cost a fortune."
Items
Tenute Sella 2012 'Majoli' Rosato, Coste della Sesia DOC Net Price — —
Tenute Sella 2012 'Doranda' Bianco, Coste della Sesia DOC Net Price — —
Tenute Sella 2008 Bramaterra DOC Net Price Reviews —
Tenute Sella 2008 Lessona DOC Net Price Reviews —
Reviews
Tenute Sella 2008 Bramaterra DOC
Rating: 93

The 2008 Bramaterra is wonderfully alive in the glass. Sweet herbs, freshly cut flowers and juicy red berries emerge from this delicate, vibrant wine. All the elements are nicely balanced. The 2008 impresses for a weightless richness that is impossible to resist. I especially like the way the aromas and flavors are rich and resonant yet also chiseled and, in the end, quite fine. This is a fabulous showing from Sella.

- The Wine Advocate (10/1/2012)

Tenute Sella 2008 Lessona DOC
Rating: 91

The 2008 Lessona is another surprising wine. Smoke, incense, dark cherries, menthol and licorice all come together in a style that is a bit on the burly side for this property. The Lessona finds a measure of elegance and refinement with time in the glass, but remains big and powerful.

- The Wine Advocate (10/1/2012)