Winemaker Notes
A selection of the oldest vines in the Pajé geographical mention, produced in a limited quantity.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A stunning Barbaresco that’s super complex and elegant. Aromas of embers, wild strawberries, savory dried flowers, angelica, wet slate and lemon leaves. Vibrant and zesty, with a full body and firm, dusty yet ripe tannins. Juicy and meaty with a chewy finish. It will last for decades. Drink or hold.
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Vinous
The 2020 Barbaresco Pajè Vecchie Viti is s total stunner. A complex, dynamic wine, the Vecchie Viti impresses in all of its dimensions. Soaring aromatics are immediately captivating. Layered spice notes, new leather, menthol, dried herbs and incense play off a core of dark-hued Nebbiolo fruit. Not surprisingly, the 2020 has shut down fiercely after bottling. Readers should not plan on opening a bottle anytime soon.
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Wine Spectator
A well-delineated red, exhibiting a beam of bright cherry, strawberry, white pepper, eucalyptus and iron flavors, plus a hint of tobacco. Intense and layered, with bracing acidity and a line of refined tannins on the lingering finish. Best from 2029 through 2047.
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.