Winemaker Notes
This highly regarded cru in Barbaresco is prized for its finesse, which Luisin’s version provides in spades. Compared to its sibling “Rabajà”, the graceful, majestic “Asili” is amply structured but the structure feels more a matter of fact than a particular point of emphasis, and the overall impression is one of lifted, red-fruited elegance. The oft-articulated differences between Barbaresco and Barolo can sometimes be overstated, as cru character and (especially) grower style play exceedingly significant roles, but Luisin’s “Asili” could come from nowhere else but this zone.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Aromas of cedar, dark berries and white truffles with some fresh earth too. Full body, chewy yet fine tannins and a very, very long and flavorful finish. Chewiness grows on the palate. Needs two or three years to soften. Drink or hold.
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Wine Spectator
There is a core of sweet cherry in this red, joined by licorice, tar and salty mineral elements. Big, with beefy tannins. A touch dry on the finish now, but shows promise. Best from 2022 through 2037. 360 cases made, 160 cases imported.
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Wine Enthusiast
Aromas of exotic spice, crushed mint and iris lead the nose. It's firmly structured, delivering dried cherry, cranberry, licorice and espresso alongside tight fine-grained tannins. You'll also find a note of powdered sage on the firm close. It's still youthfully austere and needs time to unwind. Drink 2023–2035.
Responsible for some of the most elegant and age-worthy wines in the world, Nebbiolo, named for the ubiquitous autumnal fog (called nebbia in Italian), is the star variety of northern Italy’s Piedmont region. Grown throughout the area, as well as in the neighboring Valle d’Aosta and Valtellina, it reaches its highest potential in the Piedmontese villages of Barolo, Barbaresco and Roero. Outside of Italy, growers are still very much in the experimentation stage but some success has been achieved in parts of California. Somm Secret—If you’re new to Nebbiolo, start with a charming, wallet-friendly, early-drinking Langhe Nebbiolo or Nebbiolo d'Alba.
A wine that most perfectly conveys the spirit and essence of its place, Barbaresco is true reflection of terroir. Its star grape, like that in the neighboring Barolo region, is Nebbiolo. Four townships within the Barbaresco zone can produce Barbaresco: the actual village of Barbaresco, as well as Neive, Treiso and San Rocco Seno d'Elvio.
Broadly speaking there are more similarities in the soils of Barbaresco and Barolo than there are differences. Barbaresco’s soils are approximately of the same two major soil types as Barolo: blue-grey marl of the Tortonion epoch, producing more fragile and aromatic characteristics, and Helvetian white yellow marl, which produces wines with more structure and tannins.
Nebbiolo ripens earlier in Barbaresco than in Barolo, primarily due to the vineyards’ proximity to the Tanaro River and lower elevations. While the wines here are still powerful, Barbaresco expresses a more feminine side of Nebbiolo, often with softer tannins, delicate fruit and an elegant perfume. Typical in a well-made Barbaresco are expressions of rose petal, cherry, strawberry, violets, smoke and spice. These wines need a few years before they reach their peak, the best of which need over a decade or longer. Bottle aging adds more savory characteristics, such as earth, iron and dried fruit.