92 pts Wine Advocate for the 2022
This is one of the personal highlights of my annual tasting of wines from Piedmont. The Fratelli Alessandria 2022 Verduno Pelaverga Speziale opens to a lean ruby appearance and a very punchy bouquet with wild rose, blood orange and crushed peppercorn. The aromas are offbeat for sure, but the wine's intensity is delicately measured against its streamlined texture. Winemaking sees stainless steel and some cement only. Some 25,000 bottles were released. You'll get a lot of food-pairing mileage out of the Pelaverga grape. The Alessandria family applies the term "spicy elegance" to all their wines, including the high-end Barolos and also this wine.
This is a terrific set of very exciting wines from Vittore Alessandria and his family. In addition to this portfolio from Verduno, Fratelli Alessandria opened a bed & breakfast "wine resort" called Speziale after one of their most beloved wines. Vittore and his wife Katia had been hoping to offer guest accommodation for the past 10 years, and their dream is finally realized.

Pelaverga di Verduno "Speziale" is a red wine from Piedmont produced by the Fratelli Alessandria company. The color is brilliant ruby red, the nose conquers with delicate floral aromas, spicy hints and aromas of small berries. On the palate it is agile, fresh and dynamic, with a light and silky tannic texture. Bright cranberry color with mauve reflections. Airy strawberry and white tea notes on the nose with undertones of dried rose petal, whole white peppercorn, wet rock. The palate is juicy and spicier with more herbaceous flavors of sage and thyme coming through. Perfect for roasted bird, creamy pastas, charred broccolini with lemon zest and Calabrian chilies.

Vineyard notes: The red "Speziale" is produced with Pelaverga Piccolo grapes, which come from various company crus, which are all found within the territory of the municipality of Verduno: Riva Rocca, Campasso, Boscatto, Neirane, Sotto Orti and Galleria. The vines are grown in a hilly area, at an altitude between 250 and 400 metres, on calcareous soils. The vines have an average age of about 20 years and are Guyot trained, with a density of about 4500 vines per hectare.