BARBARESCO

2014 Pajoré Sottimano

EN PRIMEUR

Awarded the top Italian Wine award of 'Tre Bicchieri' from the Gambero Rosso guide - this 2014 Pajore is a total triumph. 2014 may not have been an ideal season but here Andrea Sottimano has crafted a fine-boned, delicate Barbaresco with uncompromising drive and focus. Very clever stuff in a vintage like this. Testament to the quality of the vineyards and these beautiful old vines but also to Andrea's care with the vines and his skill in the cellar. Dark fruit is layered with pressed flowers and gorgeous herb notes on a compacted mineral core. The subtle nuance and focus make this fresh beauty an intriguing bottle of wine. Fascinating now, but with a great future too as it will gently open up and share the myriad flavours so tightly packed for now.L&S (Aug 2018)

* This is a pre-shipment/primeur offer. All orders are accepted under the TERMS of this offer which differ from the terms of the rest of the site.

Heady and exciting with strong tar but good balance. Punchy fine tannins on the end. Drinking range: 2022 - 2036 Rating: 17 Jancis Robinson OBE MW - www.JancisRobinson.com (Oct 2018)

The 2014 Barbaresco Pajorè is a lovely wine with a firm and convincing sense of inner intensity and elegance. Red cherries and cassis rise from the bouquet, which is delivered with almost musical pulses of brightness that keep time and tempo. The wine's concentration is dark ruby and luminous. Dried mint, anise and licorice appears on the silky finish. The 1.5-hectare Pajorè vineyard is located in Treiso. Vines are up to 70 years old. Drinking range: 2018 - 2033 Rating: 94 Monica Larner, The Wine Advocate (www.robertparker.com) (Oct 2018)

The Pajoré vineyard can be found right on the edge of Barbaresco and it's the highest one the Sottimano family owns. The freshness from this vineyard is in clear evidence yet again in this newest vintage, supported by generous and luscious cherry fruit, although it's handsomely earthy too. A real masterclass in Nebbiolo despite the tricky summer humidity of this vintage. Rating: 93 The Wine Gang - www.thewinegang.com (Jan 2018)

The 2014 Barbaresco Pajoré is broad, ample and super-expressive. Dark cherry, spice, lavender, licorice and leather flesh out in a multi-dimensional, complex Barbaresco endowed with myriad shades of nuance. Here, too, the tannins are fully ripe, which allows all the purity of the fruit to come through loud and clear. Drinking range: 2020 - 2034 Rating: 95 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Nov 2017)

Very fragrant indeed. Heady and dense with lots of acidity. Autumn undergrowth and dry molasses. Tar and undertow. Good wine. Drinking range: 2020 - 2029 Rating: 17.5 Jancis Robinson OBE MW - www.JancisRobinson.com (Oct 2017)

Tasted blind. Treiso. Lustrous ruby. Very tight, compact red fruit and savoury oak nose. Quite liberally oaked on the palate, too, but with classy fruit and gripping tannins. Beautiful balance, freshness and bite. Drinking range: 2017 - 2028 Rating: 17+ Walter Speller, www.jancisrobinson.com (Apr 2017)

The 2014 Barbaresco Pajoré is superb. Rich, deep and intense, yet also very raw, the 2014 possesses fabulous depth to match its intense personality. Here, too, the tannins are nearly buried by the sheer luxuriousness of the fruit. Dark blue and purplish stone fruit, lavender, mint and sage infuse the deeply layered finish. Deep, enveloping and bursting with class, the Pajoré is another head-turner in this lineup. Drinking range: 2021 - 2034 Rating: 95 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Oct 2016)

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.

OFFER: All wines are offered subject to availability and final confirmation. The offer is for complete cases only.

PRICING: These pre-shipment offer prices are valid only for the offer period (and while stocks last), after which time prices will revert to normal for any remaining stock. Pricing is all 'in bond' (exclusive of VAT and duty) by the case size stated. If you would like to take wines duty paid them please indicate on your wishlist order form.

TO ORDER: Please order online, email our Private Client team, or call your usual shop or L&S contact.

DELIVERY: The wines are not yet physically available, but will be shipped over the course of the winter (2019). In most cases the wines will be delivered as they arrive with us, so if any are required by a certain date please advise us at the time of ordering. Duty paid delivery is subject to our usual terms and delivery schedule.

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