Sottimano, Barbaresco Riserva, Piedmont, Italy, 2016

Overview of the Wine
Andrea Sottimano and his father Rino produce wines of outstanding quality from thirteen lovingly cared for hectares in the Cotta, Curra, Fausoni, Pajore and Basarin crus in the Treiso and Neive townships. Their Barbarescos are elegant, evocative, subtle yet hearty. To taste these crus side-by-side is to reply with a resounding yes to skeptics of terroir that question whether differences of only 200 meters does matter! Their approach if one of minimal intervention: indigenous yeasts, no fining or filtering. Each of their four crus Barbarescos are given the same treatment to allow the uniqueness of each cru to express itself. Fermentation is done in oak, of which about 30% is new, followed by 18-20 months in neutral barriques. Every year they produce around 85,000 bottles.

Sottimano is firmly convinced that everything in the vineyards should be done in a serious and respectful way, with the only target of preserving the delicate balance between soils and the ecosystem.

Starting from the begin, together with many other wineries of this region, they have begun to fight the traditional diseases of the vines with natural, environmentally friendly products, and to avoid any kind of herbicides and pesticides

Winemaker
Andrea Sottimano

Grape / Blend
Nebbiolo

Origin
Piedmont, Italy

Winemaker's Tasting Notes
2016 was a watershed in our winery: it was the year in which, thanks to painstaking and rigorous organic work in the vineyards, we achieved a decisive and even more pronounced expression of cru and terroir, which we have continued to accentuate in every vintage since.

Hence the decision to create a premium selection wine from the oldest vineyards, bringing the focus, also in the 2016 Riserva, back to pure terroir.

97 Points - James Suckling
Great garnet brightness in the glass, with a stunning nose full of depth and complexity, showing prunes, black truffles, tamarind, potpourri, licorice, mint and tobacco. Full-bodied. Tannins are firm and dusty yet condensed and ripe, tight-knit with fresh acidity. Superclassic. Drink or hold.

97 Points - Wine Advocate
This spectacular wine, produced only in the best vintages and held back for a late release, represents a special selection of fruit from the oldest vines on a 1.5-hectare slope. The Sottimano 2016 Barbaresco Riserva M. Sottimano takes us back to one of the best vintages of the new millennium. The wines of the 2016 vintage manage the balancing act between elegance and power, a difficult endeavour, and this bottle offers us the additional pleasure of tertiary complexity. The bouquet is multi-layered with dried cherries, tarry spices, liquorice and rusty nails. The tannins are resolved and the wine retains a medium-bodied texture.

96 Points - Vinous
The 2016 is a dark, powerful wine that is very impressive. At almost ten years old, it is still a very young wine. Dark fruit, new leather, spice, menthol and espresso all come through beautifully in this generous Barbaresco. This is a particularly dense style. As good as the 2016 Riserva is, I think the wines being made today are even better and more precise.

Product size: 750ml