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In
great vintages (and 2019 was one of the best in
memory), nine single-vineyard Barbarescos are produced
from nine classic premium sites within the Barbaresco
village boundaries: Asili, Rabają, Pora, Montestefano,
Ovello, Pajč, Montefico, Muncagota, and Rio Sordo.
These are the geographical names of sites where
Nebbiolo grapes have always been cultivated. The
extraordinary nine bottles below are the result of
tireless work and attention to detail throughout the
growing season.
Tasting these 9 wines with good food and great friends
over the course of an evening is a memorable
experience.
This is your chance to
grab not one but all nine single vineyard expressions
from the famed Produttori del Barbaresco. This
cooperative is perhaps the most consistent and top of
its class in the wine world today. Managing director
and winemaker Aldo Vacca has once again guided
Produttori del Barbaresco to one of the finest
collections of wines of the 2019 vintage.
Through the weekend
the 9-bottle Produttori pack is on sale for $725
(purchased separately = $828)
 Ovello
Ovello is the northernmost vineyard in the village of
Barbaresco, higher on the sea level and dropping down to
the river in a 300 feet, abrupt bluff. It is a
relatively large area with a number of subzones with
West and East exposure, all sharing a similar calcareous
soils rich in clay. The extra clay and the cooler
microclimate give the Ovello its exuberant and youthful
quality in the fruit and its fuller body, which defines
its distinctive personality. Explosive fruit on the
palate and firm, sometime rough, tannins on the finish,
these wines always bring a lot of joy to the palate and
deliver powerful structure, that needs some years of
bottle ageing to balance out.
Montefico
A not widely known vineyard, yet highly sought after by
the Barbaresco aficionados. It is often compared to the
slightly larger and more famous Montestefano vineyard
because of the similar soil (high calcium) and close
proximity between the two. It lays half way between the
Montestefano and the Ovello. Exposure is full South,
therefore quite warm, but it is not unusual for
Montefico to have brisk morning hours during the growing
season because of the cooler northern wind that
occasionally funnels in from the Tanaro River and into
the narrow valley between the villages of Barbaresco and
Neive. Austere when young and somehow less fleshy than
Montestefano, it shows a beautiful mineral finish. It
produces wines with the breed of any classic Barbaresco
and with incredible complexity behind the tannins.
Montestefano
It is one of the vineyards with higher concentration of
calcium in the soil that gives to the wine a powerful
tannic structure. The extra heat of the South facing
slope is responsible for the Montestefano full body and
almost meaty texture. It is deep flavored wines with
massive tannins, but quite ripe and well integrated in
the wine because of the warm exposure. In a wet season
its grapes can hold rain well and it is usually the last
one to be picked among the Barbaresco vineyards. For all
these reason it is probably the Barbaresco that more
reminds of Barolo where tar and roses prevails on the
refined violet flavors. Despite this massive attitude
remains a true Barbaresco, never too heavy on the palate
and with a classy finish that lingers on the palate
without overwhelming your senses.
Pajč
This
vineyard is a small bowl facing South/West and it
lies between the village itself and the famous Asili
vineyard. However Pajč is slightly lower in altitude
and the vineyard is more open to the Tanaro River
influence resulting in a cooler microclimate. The
soil is limestone with high calcium level. In result
the wine combines elegance and complexity with
intense tannins and it is never shy in acidity. The
latter makes Pajč somehow sharper and brighter in
its first years, with lovely youthful fruit and
flowery notes, almost minty in cooler vintages. Pajč
is particularly attractive after some ageing, when
the wine still retains a fruitful and fresh palate.
Muncagota
This
single vineyard looks South/East, facing the cooler
morning sunshine instead of the warmer afternoon
sun. Because of that, the Muncagota vineyard shows
beautiful floral characteristics and often a
specific mint character on the nose. Calcareous soil
and a low level of sand gives to the wines of
Muncagota extremely focused fruit and firm, stylish
tannin. Muncagota is a perfect example of the
elegant and intense qualities that make Barbaresco
one of the most interesting and unique wines of the
world.
Pora
Proximity
to the Tanaro River creates a unique microclimate
for the Pora, a beautiful hill with West and South
exposures, while the northern side of the hill is an
abrupt bluff that drops into the river and where the
famous white truffles can be find on season. Due to
the proximity to the valley floor, Pora is
relatively warm in the early morning hours, but
breezy with slightly higher humidity through most of
the day. Soil fertility is slightly higher here and
this gives to the wine a smoother character, tannins
are soft and the aromas always tend to open up in
the early years of life.
Asili
This
spectacular vineyard has created in the past some of
the greatest Barbaresco and it has a strong
following all over the world. The main part of the
Asili vineyard is a protected bowl facing
South/West, next to Pora, but farther away from the
river and the valley influence with warmer and less
breezy microclimate during most of the summer. To
the East, Asili ends with a bricco, top of the hill,
also facing South/West and with a similar soil
composition, bordering Rabają. The wine is intense,
certainly not a full bodied Barbaresco, but
nevertheless showing a very imposing personality.
Usually quite closed in its youth it opens up slowly
with impeccable complexity and style
a classic
Barbaresco, and also one of the most distinctive
vineyards of the region.
Rabają
Rabają
produces a quintessential Barbaresco, one of the
most complete and balanced of the single vineyards.
The vineyard lays at the conjunction of the two main
ridges that form the Barbaresco village, one
starting at Rabają and going West towards the Tanaro
River (with progressively less calcium and higher
fertility in the soil) and the other one that goes
from Rabają to Ovello, South to North (with higher
calcium content in the soil). The meeting of these
two different soils give to Rabają its incredible
complexity. Bordering both Asili and Muncagota it
combines the personality of those two great
vineyards with and extra richness due to the
South/West warm exposure.
Rio
Sordo
The
vineyard is a long, South/West exposed hillside in
the southern part of the Barbaresco village, not far
from the river. The light limestone soil with
relatively low calcium content compared to other
areas of Barbaresco produces wines where tannins are
never dominant, instead they show a silky quality on
the palate that makes them extremely attractive and
seductive, never imposing, always elegant. Behind
the smooth elegance however, lies a core of powerful
structure and very well balanced tannins that give
to the Rio Sordo its complexity and longevity.
And
that concludes our primer on Produttori's single
vineyards. We have a limited number of 9-packs
available so if interested don't hesitate to reach
out. Once again:
The 9-bottle Produttori pack is on sale for $725
(purchased separately = $828)
Call
805.568.1961 or email
us if interested.
We appreciate your support!
Renegade
Wines
417 Santa Barbara Street Suite A-6
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
805-568-1961
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