Latest Barbaresco tastings
It’s that time of year when we have the first opportunity to taste a wide selection of the new Barbareschi. This month the 2007 is showcased at a series of dinners in local restaurants aptly named “Barbaresco a Tavola”. The minimum requirement is for 2 year’s ageing (beginning 1st January following harvest) of which at least 12 months must be in oak (usual) or chestnut.
Last week (7th May) we attended a “blind” tasting of 24 wines at www.casanicolini.com. Not all the local producers offer their wines as they believe the wines are too young to show their best and that means that some of the top reputations are missing. Certainly the wines are very young but the cream always floats to the top and so comparisons across the vintage are revealing.
In true Italian style it formally started about an hour behind schedule when the last coachload of guests arrived but we were already 2 courses in and well into the tasting. Different people have different approaches but probably the most effective way is to taste all quickly but not swallow and then return to the best and possibly let the odd slurp slide down! There was a general agreement around the table that the best wines were:
Sottimano www.sottimano.it unsurprisingly
Cascina Saria who we had never before visited or tasted
Orlando Abrigo www.orlandoabrigo.it
Fontanabianca www.fontanabianca.it
Angelo Negro www.negroangelo.it
Figli Grasso www.grassofratelli.it
Once again the overall quality was of a high standard, with only 2 or 3 wines that were poor and those names we have politely forgotten. Since 2002 there has not been what you could describe as a bad vintage.
particularly Piemonte
Despite the weaker £ versus the
€, recent figures released by the UK government
show that imports of Italian wines in 2008/2009
increased by 28% and captured 17.4% of the market
to move closer to the top spot held by Australia
(20.7%). In value terms Italy already holds the
number one slot. The biggest increases were in
everyday reds and rosés (+87%) and sparklers
(+79%) while at the top end Piemonte continues to
consolidate its leading position in Italy.
The recently published Vini d’Italia 2010 (Gambero
Rosso) describes Piedmont as “the locomotive region
that drives Italian wine” with the award of 84 of its
top Three Glasses awards. Tuscany also saw an increase
of 11 top awards to 60, its second best showing ever.
Nebbiolo still remains the aristocrat with 65 winners
either on its own or in blends. The whites are somewhat
overshadowed but 3 Gavis and 2 Timorassos led the way.
Renowned Piemonte producer Angelo Gaja in a recent
Decanter interview is quoted as saying that Italy’s
next big success will be with its whites. While finding
Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio somewhat boring he points
out there are over 1,500 grape varieties grown in Italy
and that no other country has that richness. The
potential is huge.
We were
particular pleased to see one of our close neighbours
gain his first Three Glass award: Fabrizio Ressia for
his Barbaresco Canova ’06. At our last tasting there we
were also mightily impressed with his unusual dry
moscato Evien and Evien Oro that both achieved Two
Glasses. Only 30,000 bottles a year but his commitment
and passion will ensure a great future. Well done
Fabrizio.