BARBARESCO

2011 Pajoré Sottimano

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

Top quality Barbaresco is never cheap, but this elegantly-styled Nebbiolo from close to the village of Barbaresco itself, is delicately raspberryish in its fragrance with a restrained, spicy red-fruited character on the palate that’s quite beguiling, and while the berry fruit is intense and powerful, the wine maintains a terrific tension between fruit and freshness thanks to a trenchant streak of acidity. Rating: 93 The Wine Gang - www.thewinegang.com (Jan 2019)


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Pajorè is one of the finest of Treiso’s vineyards, sited on the boundary of Barbaresco village. Andrea Sottimano’s wine is relatively deep in colour and forthright in its aromatic style: it has some ageing in small oak barrels, but it is the redcurrant and cranberry fruits which emerge with most clarity. Deep, full and fresh in style on the palate, with firm tannins, too, which give the wine a crunchy quality. It remains within the Barbaresco idiom, though, and softens towards shapely grace as it leaves the palate. Impressive energy and engagement here. Rating: 93 Andrew Jefford (Oct 2017)

Wonderfully aromatic with blueberry, cedar, rose petal and sandalwood. Full body, super-fine tannins and a long, caressing finish. A gorgeous red that needs a year or two to soften but so wonderful now. Rating: 93 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Dec 2014)

Sottimano's 2011 Barbaresco Pajoré bursts from the glass with licorice, smoke, sweet spices and leather. Dense and powerful, yet also light on its feet, the 2011 is remarkably well-balanced. Sweet rose petal, raspberries and spice notes meld into the intensely perfumed, balsamic finish. This is a decidedly feminine, floral Pajoré with more red-toned fruit than is typically the case. In 2011, the Pajoré speaks to polish above all else. Rating: 95 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Oct 2014)

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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