La Spinetta was founded in 1977 and now spans 165 hectares between Piedmont and Tuscany. Instead of inheriting their land through generations of winemakers, the Rivettis have carefully selected their vineyards over time. All sites have a south, south-east or south-west exposure and the vines tend to have a bit of age (35-65 years).
The approach in the winery may be modern but the vineyard ethos is utterly traditional: extensive year round care, extremely low yields and no use of chemical fertilisers, herbicides or pesticides. La Spinetta means “top of the hill” and refers to the location of their first cellar in Castagnole delle Lanze in Piedmont. La Spinetta’s motto is: “Making wine with passion”.
93 Points Wine Advocate
The 2006 Barolo Campe’ is one of the most elegant wines I have ever tasted from La Spinetta. A deep, translucent red, the Campe’ opens with a captivating bouquet of roses, spices, flowers and cherries, all of which resonate on the palate. The wine turns muscular in the glass, with powerful tannins that frame the expressive, generous fruit. There is plenty of richness and concentration. Smoke, tar and herbs are just some of the nuances that come to life as the dense fruit provides a wonderful foil to the tannins on the finish. This, too, is a terrific effort from La Spinetta. The 2006 Campe’ was fermented in rotary tanks for 7-8 days and underwent malolactic fermentation in new French oak, where the wine was aged for 24 months prior to being bottled.
95 Points The Wine Spectator
Slightly earthy, with mushroom and very ripe fruit. Almost pruny. Transforms to gorgeous fruit. Full-bodied, with spicy, meaty and superripe fruit flavors. Chewy and tannic. Big and rich. Turns exotic. This is massive, with impressive structure.