Tenute Sella is located at the foot of the Alps of Biella, in Northern Piedmont. Purchased in 1671 by Comino Sella, for 350 years the family-owned property has been cultivated by generations of the Sella family. Here in Alto-Piemonte, they craft beautiful, ethereal expressions of Nebbiolo-based wines, which are exceptionally age-worthy.

Today Tenute Sella is made up of 23 hectares of vineyard land in the Piemonte DOC, with a total production of approximately 75,000 bottles per year. Their first vineyards were planted in Lessona, following which the family extended their estate to include vineyards in Bramaterra, and Coste della Sesia also. Re-establishing the importance of their terroir, with maximum respect for tradition is the estate’s philosophy. Each vineyard is hand-picked and vinified separately, using traditional production methods. Under the watchful eye of their dynamic young winemaker, Riccardo Giovannini, bringing new energy and a fresh outlook to the winery, Tenute Sella feels to be going through a resurgence in quality.

Lessona and Bramaterra are their flagship wines. Nebbiolo forms the base of both these blends, Lessona with a small amount of Vespolina, and Bramaterra with small amounts of Vespolina and Croatina. In Lessona, the vines are planted on mineral-rich sandy soils of marine origin, whereas Bramaterra has porphyry soils with very high acidity (low pH). These wines represent more refined and fragrant examples of what Nebbiolo can deliver, with incredible minerality, compared to that of Barolo and Barbaresco where power and structure is the driving force. Lessona Omaggio a Quintino Sella (made in homage to a family ancestor who was one of the fathers of Italian national unity) is their top wine, produced only in the best vintages, from 50-year-old vines in the in the historic hills of the Lessona township. They consider this to be the “riserva di famiglia”, a magnificent wine that truly showcases just how beautifully Alto-Piemonte wines can develop with age.