Pio Cesare's Barbaresco is a wonderful wine with intense blackberry,violet, dried herbs andcinnamon aromas on the nose. Superb generous fruit, underlying roasted chestnut notes and rich slinky dense tannins on the palate and a lengthy finish. A great wine for collectors or to enjoy now.

Nebbiolo has long been a fancy of Rick Kinzbrunner and recently he grafted over half a hectare of Pinot Noir vines to the iconic Italian varietal. Rick gives this wine every opportunity to be shown at its best by maturing the rich and concentrated red in traditional large format Italian made Bota casks for a staggering 42 months! The result is a wine that displays a lifted and aromatic nose of violets and tar (synonymous with the variety) which is then followed by a palate that is both silken and powerful. That tannins are present in a somewhat refined fashion which helps give this extraordinary wine the long length is possesses.

Situated between Neive and the town of Barbaresco itself, Curra beautifully combines the rich, fuller-bodied nature of Neive, with the tannic structure of Barbaresco. With a due south exposure, it is usually the biggest and most structured of the Sottimano crus and for that reason its normally released a year behind the other crus. A wine of great personality, with powerful red fruit aromas and notes of menthol, tar and spices, leading to a firmly structured palate of great volume and length. Always a keeper, Curra is a 15-20+ year cellaring proposition.

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On the palate it is very vigorous, rich in extracts, with lively and pleasant tannins that are rounded through a skilful use of wood. A powerful, tantalizing wine with a great ageing potential.

Harmonious and open-knit, the village Barolo from Paolo Scavino is sourced from the best plots of seven different Barolo crus. Each plot is vinified separately contributing different characteristics to the final blend. The result is a balanced, complex and stylish Barolo with a strong regional identity.

Situated between Neive and the town of Barbaresco itself, Cotta beautifully combines the rich, fuller-bodied nature of Neive, with the tannic structure of Barbaresco. With a south-west exposure, it is usally the richest and roundest of the Sottimano crus, typically showing abundant red and black fruits with refined nuances of mint, leading to a palate of notable length. The tannins are there, but beautifully expressive and silky. A benchmark Barbaresco with a 15-20 year cellar life.

From one of the best vineyards in Treiso, Pajore brings wonderful harmony to the suite of Sottimano crus. A typically expressive nose of small red fruits, minerals, tobacco, violets and licorice leads to a velvety palate of great suppleness and personality. Usually the most approachable, Pajore nonetheless delivers great length on a fine, minerally finish. An impeccable, 15-20 year wine.

Just outside the town of Neive, the Fausoni cru produces wines of elegance, with a velvety personality. Notes of spices, menthol, eucalyptus and sweet red fruits abound, while the palate typically shows lovely richness and persistence, finishing with fine grained minerally tannins and a hint of menthol. A beautiful, refined Barbaresco, with a 15-20 year cellar life.

ELVIO COGNO Ravera, Barolo