Sottimano
This sixteen hectare estate is based in the Cotta' region of Barbaresco, and the Sottimano family have over the years bought outstanding vineyards in the 'crus' of Curra', Cotta', Fausoni and Pajore'. Yields are kept very low and the winemaking as natural as possible, without the use of pesticides or artificial fertilisers, using only natural yeasts and bottling without filtering or fining. All of these 'crus' are given exactly the same oak treatment so as to allow the individual 'terroirs' express their character (fermentation in barriques, of which 30% new, followed by 18 to 20 months in neutral barriques). 'Cotta', the most fruit driven of the crus, comes from 25 year old vines and is characterised by red and black fruits and a hint of mint. 'Fausoni' from 40 year old vines is the softest and most floral with notes of mint and liquorice and with a firm core of vibrant acidity. 'Curra' combines elegance with power and is always built for the long term, while 'Pajore' is the most traditional and epitomises elegance and austerity, with wonderful balance and ripeness. These are truly singular wines that are built for the long term and will reward those with patience, but enjoyable enough in their youth if decanted with plenty of air and drunk from large wine glasses.
Other reviews and comments
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Alba Piedmont Italy
Traditionally Brachetto is made sweet and slightly sparkling, but Sottimano's version is still, dry, light, fresh and very juicy. Beautifully scented with crushed rose petals and ripe strawberry fruit, this is wine for drinking slightly chilled and not taking too seriously, although it is seriously well made.
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Alba Piedmont Italy
This has to be one of the best expressions of Dolcetto. Packed with juice and fruit and a fabulous minerality that gives a lovely crunch to the finish. Very pretty, but at the same time a touch of austerity that makes it immediately more drinkable.
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Alba Piedmont Italy
This is a scaled down version of the Barbaresco, in that it is sourced from the estate's younger vines (10 to 15 years old) from the Basarin vineyard, undergoes exactly the same vinification and is bottled six months earlier. Very approachable and elegant, almost Pinot like. Licorice and spice.
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Alba Piedmont Italy
Sottimano's Barbera d'Alba is a richly textured, ripe and very precise wine with lots of pure fruit, rich tannins and minerality on the long finish. Given eighteen months in Francois Freres 'barriques', of which twenty percent are new, the oak is beautifully taut on the finish.
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Alba Piedmont Italy
So, so aromatic and packed with rich dried fruit flavours, this is hard not to drink immediately from a large bowled wine glass, but this will so obviously be magnificent with more time in bottle.
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Alba Piedmont Italy
The Curra' 'cru' produces wines which are powerful and richly textured. The 2007 needs time in bottle as it is still tight and compact, but so well structured with a fine line of finesse throughout that this will make for gorgeous old bones.
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Alba Piedmont Italy
The Fausoni 'cru' produces wines with a fine balance of elegance, bouquet and concentration. Licorice, mint and balsam. The 2007 is high toned, finely textured, concentrated and has fabulous length.
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Alba Piedmont Italy
Complex, rich and tight, this is wonderful but will need a lot of time to show at its best.
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Alba Piedmont Italy
These are the oldest vines (50 to 60 year old) and produce the most powerful of the 'crus'. Richly textured and powerful this is the wine that most easily impresses, and will do so for a decade and more.
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Alba Piedmont Italy
Pajore is a fifty year old vineyard, at 420 metres, grown on limestone and one which Sottimano belives combines all of the bset of the other vineyards, creating the most classical and elegant of all the wines. The 2006 vintage was given twenty months in French oak, of which 25% new, and the wines are serious and beautiful, but require patience too!
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Alba Piedmont Italy
Serious stuff this, and the only wine that is a blend from this estate. Coming from the oldest vines of the Cotta and Pajore vineyards this is made in the traditional style with two years on the lees in oak barrels. But not just any oak, this is Francois Freres (to whom Sottimano was introduced by the legendary Burgundian, Bernard Dugat-Py), the 'Rolls-Royce' of barrels, and made specifically for this wine. Incredibly concentrated and intense with... (more info)