2010 BAROLO & BARBARESCO OFFER
“If one thing is crystal clear it is the fact that 2010 Barolo is a genuinely great vintage.” That’s the unequivocal verdict of Jancis Robinson’s resident Italy specialist, Walter Speller. This distinctly cool vintage, which followed a hot 2009, was tricky at the time; a very wet winter was followed by a rainy and cool spring which affected flowering and fruit set. The first half of the summer remained distinctly cool, eventually demanding that growers hold their nerve for as long as possible to allow full ripening to take place. Warm days, cool nights and slow ripening resulted in a harvest that was two weeks later than average. Not a comfortable ride but the result was perfect for the late-ripening Nebbiolo grape.
“The fact is that this distinctly cool vintage has led to some gorgeous wines, with great transparency, vibrant freshness, firm but beautifully sculpted tannins, and red instead of dark fruit flavours and aromas,” Speller concludes. “The best wines will prove to be indestructible, due to their amazing balance and energy. And although they are now undeniably young, the majority are even now hard to resist, taking into account their brisk acidity and firm tannins.”
Barbaresco likewise endured one of its longest growing seasons on record, cool and with no heat spikes. The result may well be “a truly great, iconic vintage for Barbaresco”, says Antonio Galloni of Vinous Media. “The best wines are simply stunning, with virtually no perception of tannin and phenomenal balance.”
The wines that we’re presenting come from two producers who share a traditional, painstaking approach to farming the land. One is Cigliuti, run by sisters Claudia and Silvia and their septuagenarian father Renato, who’s been working the soil here since he was a boy. The second is La Spinetta, the label of the progressive, visionary Rivetti family.
“Giorgio Rivetti has unveiled a stunning line of new wines, and a few surprises as well, from his impeccable winery and tasting room at the foot of the Grinzane Cavour castle,” wrote Monica Larner of Wine Advocate following her tasting of La Spinetta’s 2010 Barolo and Barbaresco wines.
The La Spinetta name has been prominent in Barbaresco since 1977, and the Rivetti clan made four cru Barbaresco wines in 2010. The family’s Barolo holdings came into the fold more recently but have quickly become known for their elegance and strength of character. The yields for these top wines are limited to about 18-20 hectolitres per hectare, and the winery work that follows is clean, high-tech and precise. The results range from Barbaresco that Larner calls “immensely pleasurable and bright with beautiful aromatic intensity that shines bright from the glass” to what James Suckling calls a “sexy young Barolo” and another that is “big and powerful” with a “long, long finish”.
Nick Stock characterises Cigliuti as “a small family estate located on the hill of Serraboella; the production is minuscule and the wines are made with a traditionally simple approach, not pumped up with new wood or made to a style. These are wines of terroir and tradition.” He’s spot-on. Nothing about Cigliuti is pumped up or showy. This is a modest, honest family of farmers dedicated to expressing their patch of land in Neive, this splendid medieval village in the Langhe hills near Alba. Antonio Galloni calls the current vintage of the Langhe Nebbiolo “a terrific introduction” to Cigliuti, while his assessment of the 2010 Cigliuti Barberesco Vie Erte as possessing a “cool sense of tension and energy that will delight classicists” neatly captures the family’s approach.
***Please note stocks of all cru wines are limited. Select back vintages are also available***
LA SPINETTA
2012 La Spinetta Langhe Nebbiolo RRP $47
Fruit comes from La Spinetta’s Campè vineyard in Grinzane Cavour. Fermentation takes place over seven to eight days in rotofermenters at a controlled temperature. Malolactic fermentation and initial maturation takes place entirely in medium-toasted French oak for 12 months. The wine is transferred to stainless steel vats for two months before bottling without fining or filtration, then gets another two months’ ageing in bottle before release.
2010 La Spinetta Barbaresco Vigneto Bordini RRP $104
Alcoholic fermentation takes place over seven to eight days in rotofermenters at a controlled temperature. This undergoes malolactic fermentation in barrel during a 22-month maturation period in 50% new and 50% one-year-old, medium-toasted French oak. The wine is transferred to stainless steel vats for three months before bottling without fining or filtration, and aged for a further 12 months in bottle.
2010 La Spinetta Barbaresco Vigneto Gallina RRP $240
A Barbaresco that shows unique dried-fruit and warm-stone aromas, like a warm summer afternoon in the vineyards. Full body with velvety tannins and fresh acidity. It’s long and intense. Lots going on here. Powerful. One of the best Gallinas ever from here. Better in 2018, but wonderful to taste now. 97 points. James Suckling
The 2010 Barbaresco Vigneto Gallina comes from low-yield producing old vines in Neive. The wine is immensely pleasurable and bright with beautiful aromatic intensity that shines bright from the glass. Only 900 cases are produced. This vineyard expression offers notable freshness and brightness that make it suitable for long cellar aging. This is a truly magnificent wine. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2028. 94 points. Monica Larner, eRobertParker.com
2010 La Spinetta Barbaresco Vigneto Starderi RRP $240
This is a red with fascinating aromas of strawberry skin, dried flowers and truffles. Full body with silky tannins and wonderful balance and finesse. It caresses every inch of your palate. Try in 2017. 96 points. James Suckling
The 2010 Barbaresco Vigneto Starderi is born in a vineyard that sits at 330 meters above sea level. Giorgio tells me that the challenge here is crafting a wine with both elegance and power. Thanks to ideal growing conditions in 2010, he has succeeded at his task. Firm structure is supported by fleshy fruit tones and elegantly integrated spice. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2030. 95 points. Monica Larner, eRobertParker.com
2010 La Spinetta Barbaresco Vigneto Valeirano RRP $240
Aromas of dried flowers, plums, truffles and dried spices. Full body, firm and chewy tannins and a rose petal, dried strawberry and plum aftertaste. This is structured and rich. Better after 2015. 93 points. James Suckling
Fruit for the 2010 Barbaresco Vigneto Valeirano is harvested at 450 meters above sea level in the Neive township. These conditions shape a radically different character. This wine is precise and sharp with finely etched tones of spice, dark berry and wet earth. The overall structure and power of the wine is super elegant and immediate. You can safely put this bottle away for years. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2035. 96 points. Monica Larner, eRobertParker.com June 2013
2010 La Spinetta Barolo Vigneto Garretti RRP $104
Nectarine and peach fruit with sweet spices and strawberry hints on the complex nose. Ripe and full with pretty blue and black fruit flavours and rose petals. Spicy-toned finish with good firm tannins. Highly recommended. 92 points. Decanter Magazine
This is extremely floral on the nose with orchid and strawberry. Hints of sandalwood. Full body, with velvety tannins and a juicy finish. Loads of orange peel undertones here. Sexy young Barolo. Better in 2016. 94 points. James Suckling
A little smoky reduction gives way to ripe raspberry, leather and spice flavours. Supple, yet firmly structured, with refined tannins on the finish. Should be enjoyable on the early side. Best from 2016 through 2028. 93 points. Wine Spectator
2010 La Spinetta Barolo Campè RRP $272
Striking nectarine and peach aromas typical of very young Barolo from a warm year. Full and ripe palate with emerging aromas of coffee, liquorice and sweet spice. Highly recommended. 91 points. Decanter Magazine.
Lots of flowers, stem and berry character on the nose. It’s full body, with chewy tannins and a long, long finish. Big and powerful for the vintage. Needs at least five years of bottle age. Try in 2019. 95 points. James Suckling
CIGLIUTI
2013 Cigliuti Langhe Nebbiolo RRP $47
The 2013 Langhe Nebbiolo is a terrific introduction to the wines of this small, family-run estate. Bright cherry, plum, licorice and leather jump from the glass in an energetic, finely sculpted wine that delivers terrific quality for the money. The Langhe Nebbiolo is made from Barbaresco-designated vineyards, but the fruit is given a shorter fermentation and less time in oak to increase early accessibility. 89 points. Antonio Galloni, Vinous
2010 Cigliuti Barbaresco Vie Erte RRP $88
The 2010 Barbaresco Vie Erte hits the palate with serious tannins and structure. Here the flavors are intense, alive and wonderfully nuanced. Dark red and black stone fruits, leather, smoke and savory herbs form an attractive tapestry of nuances in an attractive, cellar worthy Barbaresco endowed with a cool sense of tension and energy that will delight classicists. 94 points. Antonio Galloni, Vinous
The 2010 Barbaresco Vie Erte opens to bright, perfumed intensity with pretty layers of red rose, pressed violets, exotic spice, cola and sweet almond that together present a united front. The 2010 vintage shows particular fullness and the wine offers good value for this high quality of fruit. Its tight Nebbiolo structure is somewhat softened here by subtle oak plushness. Drink: 2016-2024. 90 points Monica Larner eRobertParker.com
2010 Cigliuti Barbaresco Serraboella RRP $120
Cigliuti’s 2010 Barbaresco Serraboella is a wine for the exceedingly patient. Big, rich and ample on the palate, the 2010 pulses with dark red and black fruit, smoke, tobacco, savory herbs, menthol, licorice and incense. The firm tannins are going to need time to soften, but once they do, the 2010 will be majestic. Even today, it is super-impressive. 95 points. Antonio Galloni, Vinous
The 2010 Barbaresco Serraboella is born from a southwest-facing exposure and 30 to 55-year-old vines planted in limestone soils. Indeed, the wine’s mineral composition shines bright with subtle tones of brimstone and flint. Those dry sensations make for a perfect segue to vibrant cherry and wild berry. Pretty dustings of spice and crushed clove blend into the greater fabric of this well structured Barbaresco. Drink: 2016-2026. 92 points. Monica Larner, eRobertParker.com