2008-BARBARESCO-Curra'-Sottimano

BARBARESCO

2008 Curra' Sottimano

Grapes Nebbiolo
Colour Red
Origin Italy, Piedmont
Village Barbaresco
ABV 14.5%

Neighbour vineyard to Cottá. Only two producers in Currà. Similar exposure. Similar soil but maybe a little more clay. Sweeter on the nose than the Cottá. Herbal, a little balsamic (that's herbal, balsam-tree related not vinegar related). Sweet fruit gives it almost a Brunello richness. Sweeter tannins. All so rounded and flattering. Much more voluptuous in a Barolo context. Juicier, less dry tannins. (JH) Rating: 17.5 Julia Harding MW, www.JancisRobinson.com (Dec 2013)


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Sottimano's 2008 Barbaresco Currà is just starting to open up. Sweet red berries, spices and licorice blossom in the glass in a wine that impresses for its overall balance and class. Rich, dark and enveloping, the 2008 has developed beautifully since I first tasted it some years ago. This is the first vintage in which the current Sottimano style of late malos and low new oak comes into play. A few years later, the early results of that change in direction are clearly evident, even if the wines were always striking from barrel. This is a beautiful wine to drink now and over the next decade or so. Drinking range: 2016 - 2028 Rating: 93 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Oct 2013)

Sottimano has decided to give the 2008 Barbaresco Curra another year in bottle before releasing the wine. I understand why. The Curra is a huge Barbaresco. An exotic bouquet of tobacco, smoke, tar and incense leads to an intense core of fruit. This is easily one of the most structured wines of the vintage. It shows tremendous depth, detail and thrust from start to finish. The fruit covers every inch of the palate in this dramatic Barbaresco. Sweet floral notes typical of Curra add a measure of lift on the finish, but this remains a big, big wine in need of considerable bottle age. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2028. Rating: 94 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Apr 2012)

Very closed nose hints at smoky minerality and wild herbs, with some high-pitched cherry and red berries emerging with aeration. Dense, broad and rich, with terrific mineral energy and a saline quality giving definition to the middle palate. A deep, smooth Barbaresco with sexy aromatic high tones. Finishes strong and long, with firm, slowly mounting tannins, an element of noble herbs and terrific verve. I love this style. Rating: 93 Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar (Nov 2011)

Sottimano

The next generation of Andrea, Elena and Claudia Sottimano are now at the helm here and this exquisite estate continues to make better and better wines - some of the finest in Barbaresco. 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 Currà, Cottà, Fausoni, Pajore and Basarin. In the vineyard they work organically and aim to limit yields. The winemaking is as low-intervention as possible, using only natural yeasts and then bottling without filtering or fining. All of these 'crus' are given exactly the same élevage, so as to allow the individual 'terroirs' to express their character. Terroir expression is the target here - and these amazing wines are as much an education as a joy to drink.

There are five different crus - each with very specific attributes where they produce their distinctly different Barbarescos. The latest edition is Basarin, with a mixture of clay, limestone and sand, is at about four hundred metres above sea level. This produces the estate's Langhe Nebbiolo, which is basically 'village Barbaresco', as the vines are very young (10-15 years old). It makes for wines that are always very elegant, refined, tannins are silky and softer, nuanced of spices and herbs (eucalyptus).

Fausoni, on sand and clay, makes wines that are always very elegant - mint, liquorice and little red fruits. This is in the historical part of Neive.

Currà, on clay and limestone, is one of the smallest cru of the whole appellation, wines are always very intense and powerful, hard-bodied and with good tannins. Hints of spices and smoke are characteristics of this area.

Cottà, on limestone with clay is one of the oldest cru in Barbaresco, vines are always very old here (fifty years and older) and the colours are just a little bit lighter than other vineyards (because of the clay), but they have a very distinctive nose of dark fruits and mint, a great elegance and mineral tannins.

Pajore is almost entirely on limestone with just a little clay. This is the highest vineyard of all, at 420 metres above sea level. The vines are very old, and it is always the most mineral and elegant of the four Barbarescos. Limestone brings into the wine a great purity of fruit, a distinctive aroma of spices and tobacco (cigar box) and a very unusual quality of tannins, firm but very mineral.

This wine isn't currently part of a mixed case, but you can always browse our full selection of mixed cases here.
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