Winemaker Notes
It is perfect for pairing with important main courses and aged cheeses.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
This is Cascina delle Rose's other single-vineyard wine from a second nearby site in the village of Barbaresco. The 2020 Barbaresco Rio Sordo is slightly more linear and streamlined compared to the Tre Stelle in this vintage. That wine felt more immediate to me, but the Rio Sordo feels more long-term thanks to elegant fruit, crushed stone and sweet licorice aromas it offers.
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Wine Enthusiast
Drying raspberries, wild strawberries, black tea and dried bay leaf greet the senses. Dried rosebud and incense add depth. Tart cherries and savory herbs banter on the palate, shaped by refined tannins and lively acidity. This wine, a tour de force, speaks of the land and passion, weaving a tale that lingers long after the final sip.
Italian Red Wine
While picturesque hillsides, endless coastlines and a favorable climate serve to unify the grape-growing culture of this country. The apparent never-ending world of indigenous grape varieties gives Italy an unexampled charm and allure for its red wines. From the steep inclines of the Alps to the sprawling, warm, coastal plains of the south, red grape varieties thrive throughout.
The kings of Italy, wines like Barolo and Barbaresco (made of Nebbiolo), and Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino (made of Sangiovese), as well as Amarone (mostly Corvina), play center stage for the most lauded, collected and cellar-worthy reds. Less popular but entirely deserving of as much praise are the wines made from Aglianico, Sagrantino and Nerello Mascalese.
For those accustomed to drinking New World reds, the south is the place to start. Grapes like Negroamaro or Primitvo from Puglia and Nero d’Avola from Sicily make soft, ammicable, full-bodied, fruit-dominant wines. Curious palates should be on the lookout for Cannonau (Grenache), Lagrein, Teroldego, Ruché, Freisa, Cesanese, Schiopettino, Rossese and Gaglioppo to name a few.