Barbaresco 2013
producer is just releasing his 2012s now. Drink 2016-2024 Alc 13.5%
Cigliuti, Serraboella 92 £42.25 Lea & Sandeman Plush and seamless but closed down presently; sure to develop slowly but gorgeously. Very deep wine aged roughly two thirds in cask and one third in barriques. Drink 2018-2030 Alc 14%
Oddero, Gallina 92 N/A UK www.oddero. it Powerful and austere, a mineral, less chocolatey and fleshy wine from Neive, which promises to age gracefully. Don’t open this vintage for at least three years. Drink 2019-2026 Alc 14% Ca’ del Baio, Marcarini 91 POA Eurowines Dark and deep – a Treiso Barbaresco that is more chocolatey and rich than most, but with very fine tannins, grip and thrust. A lovely wine that will age well. Drink 2020-2035 Alc 14%
Pio Cesare, Il Bricco 91 £69 Portland Wine Co, Millésima Usual knockout aromas of minerals, sour red cherries, violet and rose petals. Harmonious but lively acidity heightens an austere, steely element in the wine. Drink 2018-2030 Alc 14%
Castello di Neive,
Santo Stefano 90 £42.75 Fortyfive 10 A sexy, showy wine offering plenty of early appeal and easygoing red cherry, plum and delicate spicy aromas and flavours. Drink 2018-2025 Alc 14% Marco e Vittorio Adriano, Sanavaide 90 £ 100 (2012) Christopher Keller Easygoing, very well-balanced Barbaresco with sneaky complexity and concentration of flavour, plus polished tannins that ensure a smooth mouthfeel. Drink 2019-2026 Alc 13.5% Ceretto, Bernardot 90 £ 112 Top Selection A pure expression of Treiso, but with noteworthy heft and size for a wine from this commune. Treiso’s steely mineral style emerges on the long, vibrant finish. Drink 2019-2030 Alc 14% Michele Chiarlo, Asili 90 £45 Millésima Soft, juicy, open and easy to drink but with fine ageing potential too. Drink 2019-2030 Alc 14%
For full details of UK stockists, see p133
Bruno Rocca, Rabajà
93 £ 53.33-£85.99 Liberty Wines, MillŽsima More forward and less brooding than other recent vintages of this wine, as fewer barriques and more casks are used. Less site specific than usual, but still rich. Look for Rocca’s new release of an outstanding Currà Riserva 2012 in early 2017. Drink 2019-2032 Alc 14%
Angelo Gaja 92 £95 Bancroft, BI Wines, Justerini & Brooks, Roberson For me, always Gaja’s best wine in every vintage, reminding you of Nebbiolo from the first whiff and taste. This 2013 has lovely floral notes and a mineral tang. Drink 2019-2030 Alc 14%
Sottimano, Pajoré 92 £ 27 (2012) Crump Richard & Shaw Much bigger and darker fruit-accented than usual. Rich, ripe, brooding and will need time. Pajoré is one of Piedmont’s top dozen sites for Nebbiolo. Drink 2018-2032 Alc 14% Nada Fiorenzo, Rombone 92 £ 29.16 (ib) A&B Vintners Big, dense and rich, with chocolate and balsamic nuances typical of the site. This