Description
“It finally happened—the world has awakened to one of its greatest wine treasures, the Produttori del Barbaresco. Since 1958, the Produttori has been the reference point for classic Barbaresco. And since their launching in 1967, the Produttori’s Riservas have been the defining expressions of Rabajà, Asili, Ovello and Barbaresco’s other noble vineyards.
The Produttori was founded in the crushing poverty of the 1950s, when the parish priest organized 19 struggling growers to make wine communally. With time, the Produttori grew to about sixty members—owning the lion’s share of the greatest vineyards. Even today, many of Barbaresco’s best growers are members, occupying the greatest sites and pooling their fruit. In lesser years, only one wine is made, but in great vintages, up to ten magical Barbarescos can be made: the often astonishing flagship Barbaresco plus nine single-cru Riservas. The Produttori still uses traditional methods: an 18 to 21-day primary fermentation with aging for up to three years in botti. Such techniques yield gloriously transparent wines, affording a unique opportunity to explore the region’s finest terroirs.
“Though one of Piedmont’s greatest producers, the Produttori has long lived in the shadow of more famous names like Giacosa and Gaja. It was not until recently, thanks to the outspoken advocacy of critics like Antonio Galloni and John Gilman that the Produttori is getting the attention it deserves …
“The Produttori’s nine crus or vineyards lie on steep slopes composed of the classic firm clay and limestone marl of the Langhe. Those from the northernmost chain of hills—Ovello, Montefico and Montestefano–have a higher clay content and are known for their rich earthy, meaty flavors, full body and firm structure. To the south are Pajé and Moccagatta, noted for their intensity and elegance. Still further south is perhaps Barbaresco’s greatest slope, boasting the southfacing Asili, Rabajà and Pora. Below these three icons is the solitary southwest-facing slope of Rio Sordo, whose opulent Barbaresco exudes aromas of black cherry and truffle.
“In each vintage, the juice from these crus is blended to produce a single Barbaresco which is one of the great wine values not only of Italy, but the world. But in great years, part of the production of each vineyard is set aside for an additional year of aging and for separate bottling as a single-vineyard Riserva. When these Riservas are made, they constitute the quintessential examples of Barbaresco’s greatest terroirs.” From Importer, The Rare Wine Co.
“Under the direction of Managing Director Aldo Vacca, the Produttori are making some of the most distinguished wines in their history.” Antonio Galloni, Vinous
About the 2019 vintage from the winery: “Vintage looks promising with high sugar level as it was expected from the hot summer, and good polyphenolic profile, which should ensure wines with good structure and excellent ageing potential. Worthy of note in particular is the high accumulation of anthocyanins, so wines can be expected to have excellent color and complexity. All considered, the vintage can be said to be a classic one, with a quality production despite a drop in quantity compared to the previous year.”
ABOUT THE OVELLO VINEYARD: This 21 acre vineyard is located on the far north end of the ridge. The higher clay levels in this soil give the wine strong ripe fruit notes. Considered a “Tom boy” of a wine, Ovello has a rougher edge to its tannins in its youth, but they become more integrated part of the wine’s personality as it ages. Ovello has an aging potential of 20 years. The first vintage of Ovello was produced in 1967.
96 points, Kerin O’Keefe, Wine Enthusiast “The 2019 Ovello Riserva is succulent and enveloping, offering scents of dark-skinned berry, forest floor, violet and new leather. Full-bodied with impressive structure and fruit, it boasts ripe raspberry, black cherry and licorice supported by firm, close-grained tannins that provide the backbone. Fresh acidity keeps it well balanced.”Tasted Jan 2024.
95 points, Bruce Sanderson, Wine Spectator “Ovello’s northern exposed hillside is cooler. Its soils are diverse, but in general they contain more clay. The 2019 Ovello features macerated cherry, strawberry, rose hip and peppery spice, all the while vibrant, with dense tannins and a sturdy profile. Its tannins are dense, yet better integrated at this stage than Pajé for example.” Tasted March 2024
94 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media “The 2019 Barbaresco Riserva Ovello is powerful, savory and intensely linear, in classico Ovello style, and yet it appears to have enough fruit behind its imposing tannins to develop well over the coming years. In this tasting, the Ovello feels pretty closed post bottling, but its inherent balance and qualities are there. Clean saline notes extend the finish in promising fashion.” Tasted Sept 2023
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