BARBARESCO

 

CERETTO

The Bricco Asili bottling is one of the area's finest- I love the balsamic and caraway aromas! Also look for the Bernadot and Faset bottlings as well as the regular Asij Barbaresco, a fine value.

 

PIO CESARE

Pio Boffa produces a regular Barbaresco as well as a wonderful cru bottling from the Il Bricco vineyard near his home in Treiso. Both display beautiful characteristics of terroir, while the Il Bricco is particularly complex and long-lived.

 

FONTANABIANCA

The regular Barbaresco here is quite good, but it is the Sori Burdin that ranks as one of the area's finest. Aged primarily in new oak, this is quite stylish with powerful fruit and fine structure.

 

GAJA

Although Angelo Gaja does not label his finest wines (such as Sori San Tilden and Sori San Lorenzo) as Barbaresco these days, they are Barbaresco in spirit. They are also some of the most complete and beautifully structured wines in all of Piemonte. Expensive, but you owe it to yourself to try these wines! (There is also an outstanding regular Barbaresco, a blend of several sites.)

 
Angelo Gaja and his daughter, Gaia

BRUNO GIACOSA

One of the most famous producers in Barbaresco and all of Italy. The Santo Stefano Riserva is one of the most complex and longest-lived of all Barbarescos. The Asili and regular Santo Stefano bottlings are excellent. The wines are sometimes a bit too oaky, but there is also tremendous depth of fruit.

 

ADA NADA

This underrated producer from Treiso produces great Barbarescos in various styles, from the traditional large oak aging for Vigneto Cichin to the small oak treatment for Vigneto Valeirano. Elegant, classy, beautifully structured wines.

 

FIORENZO NADA

The Rombone bottling gets my vote as the best Barbaresco that few people know about. This is a powerful Barbaresco with perfectly ripe fruit backed by elegant tannins and perfectly integrated oak. The regular Barbaresco is also quite special.

 

PELISSERO

This medium-sized estate managed by Giorgio Pelissero produces beautifully structured Barbaresco meant for cellaring. My favorite wine here is the cru Barbaresco "Nubiola" which has deep fruit and aromas of spicy cherry, cacao and dried flowers and is aged in large and small oak.

 

ELVIO PERTINACE

Founded in the 1970s, this is a cooperative winery with 15 vintner members. Several bottlings of Barbaresco are made here; the most impressive is the Vigneto "Nervo", which offers classic aromas of caraway and orange peel along with hints of coffee. The 2004 bottling was one of my top-rated wines from that stellar vintage.

 

PRODUTTORI DEL BARBARESCO

This great firm, located in the heart of Barbaresco, is all about tradition. Purchasing grapes from the finest vineyards in Barbaresco (Asili, Moccagatta, Rio Sordo, Ovello, Pajé, et al), the winemaking is low-key with aging in grande botti only. The results are silky, elegant wines that display the true terroir of theses great sites. The regular Barbaresco - a blend of several of the finest vineyards - is excellent and a great value.

Aldo Vacca, Director, Produttori del Barbaresco

RIZZI

This is an excellent family estate located in Treiso is managed by Ernesto Dellapiana and his son Ernesto. The wines here are beautifully structured and made in a traditional style that emphasizes beautiful purity of fruit. Everything from the regular bottling to the single vineyard bottlings of Boito and Fondetta (the latter is truly stunning) to the gorgeous Riserva is first-rate. One of the most underrated estates in Piemonte!

 

BRUNO ROCCA

Powerful, gutsy, spicy wines headed by the Rabaja bottling. Made in a modern style, these are not subtle, but display great complexity and style. The regular Barbaresco is quite approachable upon release.

 

SOTTIMANO

An outstanding producer from Neive that should be better known. Single vineyard wines from Curba, Cotta and Pajore are deeply concentrated and great expressions of terroir. This producer even made excellent bottlings from the difficult 2002 vintage. Consistent greatness.

 

RINO VARALDO

A small, but excellent estate with Bricco Libero as their top Barbaresco. Aged in barrique, this has ripe fruit and great weight on the palate, but is beautifully balanced. A producer worth watching in the future.