BARBARESCO

2008 Pajore Sottimano

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

The most classical of the 'crus'; rich and powerful with tight tannins and minerality and incredible length. This is a real beauty that will develop over the next two decades. L&S (Jun 2011)


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Beautiful mid ruby with the beginning of orange tinges. Very closed, and only just hinting at fruit on the nose. Same compactness on the palate, with beautiful grainy powerful tannins. Succulent fruit palate and with real depth. Merest hint of oak on the finish. Long. Complete. (WS) 2016 - 2028. Rating: 17.5 Walter Speller, www.jancisrobinson.com (Dec 2013)

Southwest-facing slope at 420 m. Limestone and very hard to work the soil. Much less open than the Fausoni and darker coloured thanks to the limestone. Deep garnet. Darker, spicier than the Fausoni with tobacco more than roses. But it is still fragrant and opens up to orange blossom and tea leaf and still some red fruit and even liquorice. ('Like Serralunga – tannins are mineral.') Even though there is this very fine corset of tannins, there's mouthwatering freshness. Such fine dry elegance. 2014-2028 Rating: 18.5 Julia Harding MW, www.JancisRobinson.com (Oct 2012)

This red shows both depth and balance, displaying cherry, licorice, menthol and mineral flavors. Chewy, with well-integrated tannins and a mix of sweet and savory notes on the finish. Drinking range: 2014 - 2027 Rating: 92 Bruce Sanderson, The Wine Spectator (Mar 2012)

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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