Winemaker Notes
Pairs well with fresh egg pastas, risottos, white meats, red meats, venison and cheeses
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2014 Barbaresco Riserva Rio Sordo represents a jump forward in structure compared to the other three vineyards (Pora, Pajè and Ovello) that were tasted before this wine. The Riserva Rio Sordo shows a dark and solid personality, with a tight core of black fruit that will relax and unwind with more bottle aging in the cellar. It is also slightly sharper and more focused in terms of mouthfeel, with the kind of tannic tightness you always get with young Nebbiolo in the cooler vintages such as 2014. Barbaresco lovers should jot this one down.
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Wine Enthusiast
New leather, camphor, red-berry and rose aromas lead the way on this vibrant red. The medium-bodied palate offers sour cherry, pomegranate and white pepper accompanied by bright acidity and polished fine-grained tannins that lead to a firm finish.
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Wine Spectator
This red combines a rich, fleshy texture that verges on chewy with a firm structure and cherry, menthol, licorice, spice and mineral flavors. Dense, revealing tension and dusty tannins on the long finish. Shows terrific energy.
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.