A colleague generously poured 1972 Antonio Vallana & Figlio Campo Raudii Spanna Gattinara, a Nebbiolo wine from northern Piedmont.
Antonio Vallana’s wines of the 1950s and 1960s have a big reputation, though I’ve never tasted any. By the 1970s, the estate was not so highly-regarded. There was no sign of the vintage on the bottle but my colleague assured me that the 1972 neck label had fallen off. This was a notoriously bad year for Piedmont’s winemakers. Some Barolo producers met at the Grinzane Cavour castle and decided not to release any wine at all, so poor was the quality.
This bottle was imported by “sole UK agents” Evans Marshall & Co. Ltd, which in 1969 became part of Bass PLC. The “Evans Marshall & Co. Ltd v. Bertola” was a 1974-5 court case that became notorious for its length. Having gained the UK exclusivity on distributing the then popular Bertola sherry brand, Evans Marshall sued for damages when Bertola started to sell to other companies. Nominal damages were awarded.
The ’72 Vallana Spanna was not as bad as one might have feared… It had good concentration but was oxidised and I thought very Brett-influenced – and not in a good way. An old curiosity but not a very nice drink.