In April of 2025, I had the pleasure of venturing to northern Italy with importer Strade Bianche. One of the many revelations of this expedition was meeting Nicola Gatta, whose wines I had long admired. Nicola is thoroughly Lombardian, with a stature that would fit in well with the warriors of proto-Germanic tribes. Nicola wore a ballcap embroidered with a rooster that said “cocks,” and had us taste through his remarkable base wines straight out of the barrel before walking us through the vineyards and grilling up a slate of meats to accompany his lineup of wines.
While Franciacorta is the epicenter of traditional method sparkling winemaking in Italy, the vast majority of vineyards are on flatland. Nicola’s vineyards, however, are at elevation, and so he is forced to de-classify his wines from the appellation. But I really don’t think he cares that much about such legalisms.
Truly a master of the traditional method, Nicola’s wines span the range of styles, from blanc de noirs to blanc de blancs to brut natures to extra bruts to heavy doses of reserve wines to soleras. His aging blows past the legal minimums, and signs and numbers his higher-end cuvées by hand, like a maniac.
Taste through the range of Nicola’s outstanding wines, including the rarities that come to the U.S.A. in absurdly limited amounts, all the while learning about what makes the traditional method sui generis.