From: Piedmont, Italy
Varietal: Nebbiolo
Notes: Made from declassified Barbaresco fruit, so production volume varies based on vintage. This is the perfect wine introduction to Produttori del Barbaresco’s lineup. If you love Barolo and Barbaresco, but don’t have the patience to wait until they’re ready to drink or don’t want to break the bank, here’s your ultimate solution! It’s also ageable for 5-8 years, if you do have the inclination to do so.
Taste & Critical Acclaim: Just look at the Vinous review. I opened a bottle to see if I could add anything, and I couldn’t. It’s delicious and you should buy a bunch of it.
91 points Vinous
The 2021 Langhe Nebbiolo is a serious wine that will give readers a very good idea of what is in store with this vintage. Just bottled, the 2021 shows great depth and tons of character. Firm tannins wrap around a core of dark red Nebbiolo, with embryonic hints of spice and flowers that develop with a bit of air. As always, the Produttori's Langhe Nebbiolo is made 100% from Barbaresco-designated vineyards. The 2021 spent 20 days on the skins, unheard of for a wine at this level. It is, quite frankly, better than a few wines from more prestigious appellations. Don't miss it. (AG) (11/2022)
93 pt Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2021 Langhe Nebbiolo opens to dark primary fruit with medium concentration and elegant tones of dried blackberry and pressed cherry. There is a soft earthy quality to the wine that recalls tea, dried tobacco leaf or peat moss. However, the slightly more concentrated quality of Nebbiolo offered by this wine is the main attraction. Cola or dried mint adds lift at the end.
90 pt Jeb Dunnuck
A youthful ruby with good concentration, the 2021 Langhe Nebbiolo is approachable and supple with fine tannins, ripe red and black berries, pressed flowers, and sweet tannins. Fresh and inviting, with crunchy acidity, it is beautiful now and I expect it to continue to drink well over the coming 6-8 years. Best After 2023
Pairing: You’ve got options here. We love leaning into dishes that feature mushrooms or truffles in conjunction with polenta, risotto, gnocchi, or pasta. Braised meats, sausages, roasted poultry with gravy, pizza, duck confit, and roasted pork (plus pork belly of course) are all fantastic options. For today’s purposes, the Risotto with Duck Confit recipe by Jonathan Reynolds is the perfect ultra-savory, umami meal to pair with this classic Langhe Nebbiolo. Serves 12 as a first course or 6 as a main. Takes about 45 minutes.
About. One of the most historically important cooperatives in Italy. A brief history follows:
Before 1894, Nebbiolo grapes were sold to make Barolo wine, or labeled «Nebbiolo di Barbaresco.» But in 1894, Domizio Cavazza, headmaster of the Royal Enological School of Alba and a Barbaresco resident, created the first cooperative, the «Cantine Sociali,» by gathering together nine Barbaresco vineyard owners to make wine in the local castle that he owned. He understood well the differences between the same grape, the Nebbiolo, grown in the different areas of Barolo and Barbaresco and, for the first time, recognized it on the wine label.
The «Cantine Sociali» was closed in the 1930’s because of fascist economic rules. In 1958, the priest of the village of Barbaresco, recognizing that the only way the small properties could survive was by joining their efforts, gathered together nineteen small growers and founded the Produttori del Barbaresco. The first three vintages were made in the church basement, then in the winery built across the square where the Produttori is still located.
United once again, the small growers continued the work started by Domizio Cavazza, producing only Barbaresco wine and enhancing both the reputation of the wine and the village. Barbaresco's proud past and its creators' dedication have made the Produttori one of the greatest producers in a great wine-producing area; it…«continues to set some of the highest standards of winemaking for any cooperative in the world.» (Robert M. Parker, Jr.; The Wine Advocate, 2-28-90).
About the winery. The Produttori del Barbaresco, founded in 1958, now has 51 members and controls over 100 hectares (250 acres) of premium Nebbiolo vineyards in Barbaresco. Each family fully controls its land, growing Nebbiolo grapes with centuries-old skill and dedication. The winery produces a Barbaresco D.O.C.G., a blend of Nebbiolo grapes harvested from different vineyards, and a simpler Nebbiolo Langhe suited for earlier consumption.
In great vintages, nine single-vineyard Barbarescos are produced from nine classic premium sites within the Barbaresco village boundaries: Asili, Rabajà, Pora, Montestefano, Ovello, Pajè, Montefico, Muncagota, and Rio Sordo. These are the geographical names of sites where Nebbiolo grapes have always been cultivated. The names of the single vineyards, the total number of bottles produced, and the names of the owners of the vineyards are marked on the labels.
The Produttori del Barbaresco, which vinifies only Nebbiolo grapes, produces around 550,000 bottles (45,000 cases) annually. In a good vintage, they are divided among Barbaresco (50%), single vineyard Barbarescos (30%), and Nebbiolo Langhe (20%).
