From: Barbaresco, Piemonte, Italy
Varietal: Nebbiolo
Taste and Critical Acclaim
V 94 Vinous
The 2017 Barbaresco Riserva Ovello is a heady, explosive wine. I don't think I have ever tasted an Ovello from the Produttori with this much heft. The strong mineral and saline accents typical of this site are present, but they are matched pound for pound by notable mid-palate richness and intensity in its fruit. The 2017 is a brooding powerhouse that needs time to unwind.
RP 94 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
One of the bigger productions (with 17,744 bottles) in the Produttori del Barbaresco's portfolio is the 2017 Barbaresco Riserva Ovello. All of the Riservas in this vintage are characterized by especially exuberant and bold aromas, and this bottle is a prime example. Cassis, wild cherry, tobacco, rusty nail and licorice build intensity. The wine is tapered and silky in texture, but it also offers a good amount of power (and 15% alcohol) to carry it through the aging process. Best After 2024.
WS 94 Wine Spectator
Taut and sinewy, boasting cherry, black currant, grass, iron and tar notes. Powerful tannins drive the finish, which is compact for now. In the end, this is lightly astringent, but has plenty of drive and should find equilibrium with time. Best from 2026 through 2043.
About. Produttori del Barbaresco, founded in 1958, is the premier cooperative of Barbaresco wines. They now have 51 members and control more than 100 hectares (250 acres) of premium Nebbiolo vineyards in Barbaresco. Each family is in full control of its land, growing Nebbiolo grapes with centuries old skill and dedication. The vinery 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. These families make more money for their grapes when submitting a higher quality, so this ensures the cooperative receives the best of the best. In every vintage, Produttori del Barbaresco releases a Barbaresco from many different vineyards and maintains the style of the house.
In the very best vintages, nine single-vineyard Barbarescos are also 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 name of the single-vineyards, the total number of bottles produced, and the name of the owners of the vineyards are marked on the labels.
The Produttori del Barbaresco, which vinifies only Nebbiolo grapes, produce around 550,000 bottles (45,000 cases) per year. In a good vintage they are divided among Barbaresco (50%), single vineyard Barbarescos (30%) and Nebbiolo Langhe (20%).
