From the master Giuseppe Rivetti, La Spinetta’s single-vineyard Barbarescos are hard-to-find blockbusters. The outstanding vineyard exposition and state-of-the-art winery create saturated and full-bodied beauties. Vigneto Gallina, which debuted in 1995, was both the first of their famed Barbarescos and the first to bear their well-known rhino label.

Bruno, Carlo, and Giorgio Rivetti are the three brothers behind the prominent La Spinetta estate, which was founded by their parents in 1977. La Spinetta has become a modern Italian superstar winery, producing some of Piemonte's most delicious wines at their main estate in Castagnole Lanze and their newer 'Campè' estate (acquired in 2000) in Grinzane Cavour. They craft their wines using modern equipment, including rotary fermenters and the most sophisticated grape presses on the market.

The ritual of 'Green Harvest,' the cutting of grapes three times each summer while they are still green reduces yields and amplifies quality. After vinification, all the wines are aged in 100% new French oak barriques. Though clearly crafted with an 'international' leaning, these wines are not overly 'modern.' The barrique effect does not mask the fruit and allows the underlying, cherished Piemontese pedigree to shine through.

The Barbaresco Vigneto Gallina originates from 35-45 year old vines set in calcareous soil with southern exposure at an altitude of 270 meters. The wine is released three years after harvest following 20-24 months of aging in new French oak, three months in stainless steel vats, and 12 months in the bottles. The result is elegant and full-bodied with solid tannin, allowing the wine to evolve for years to come.