BARBARESCO

2016 Basarin Sottimano

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

The 2016 Barbaresco Basarin is elegant, perfumed and gracious. Sweet dark cherry, lavender, spice and mint all grace this nuanced, understated Barbaresco from Sottimano. The Basarin shows a decidedly aromatic, finessed expression of Neive. The 2016 has shut down a bit since I tasted it last year, but that should not be an issue, as it won't be released until 2020. Drinking range: 2021 - 2036 Rating: 93 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Nov 2019)


Alternatively, we may well have some bottles in one of our shops - why not give us a call on 0207 244 0522 or send an email to: sales@leaandsandeman.co.uk.

Or, check the RELATED PRODUCTS below for different vintages or wines of a similar style.


The Sottimano family produce four Barbaresco single-vineyard wines - Basarin in Neive being a new addition from the 2014 vintage. The wines are aged in barriques, but the proportion of new oak has been severely reduced in recent years. This is no blockbuster, and the lean, precise raspberry nose shows elegance rather than power. A stylish wine, it's fresh and fluid with refined tannins and no overt extraction, showing charm and lift on the long finish. Drinking range: 2019 - 2035 Rating: 93 Stephen Brook, Decanter.com (Aug 2019)

The 2016 Barbaresco Basarin is bold, rich and expansive on the palate, with striking depth and tons of textural resonance. The dark, spiced flavors are typical of Barbarescos from Neive. Creamy, silky and inviting, the Basarin offers tremendous near and medium term appeal. More importantly, the 2016 is several notches more interesting than the 2015. Drinking range: 2022 - 2036 Rating: 94 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Oct 2018)

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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