Description
2016 Vintage is available by the bottle at the LCBO in the Vintages section, or by the case through Stem Wine Group - call the office for more info. 416-548-8824. This vintage has been awarded the following accolades: 96pts Robert Parker, 96pts Wine Spectator, 96pts Anthony Galloni and 86pts James Suckling.
2016 is among the best vintages of this century and it has all the potential to be a must-have for Barbaresco lovers. The winter has been mild, with low level of rainfall during the months of January and February. Starting from the end of February 2016, the temperatures finally dropped and remained low until the end of March. This late winter led to a delay of about 10 days in the bud breaking. The spring has been rainy and mild, which resulted in good conditions for the vines. During the summer, the temperature trend has been steady without any particular heat peaks. There has only been a couple of hot weeks in July, with temperatures hovering above 30° C but never exceeding 35°C. In particular, the climate trend has been determined by remarkable temperature variations between days and nights during the last part of the growing season.
Color
Grape Varieties
Aroma
Barbaresco 2016 reminds us of 2004 for its elegance and finesse although more powerful. In terms of structure, it is closer to 2001 vintage and with more refined tannins. It is extremely elegant on the nose, a mix of dried flowers.
Taste
The wine has a good structure mainly thanks to the long and beautiful season; intensity of flavors thanks to the important temperature shifts and the cold harvest time; harmony thanks to the steady and moderate growing seasons. It is a vintage suitable for a very long aging. It is deep, seriously structured and compact but also very fine and gracious with a rich and complex bouquet, juicy and sweet tannins, and a well-controlled mouthfeel.
Vinification
The grapes, coming from each single vineyard, separately undergo fermentation, maceration and ageing in oak for 12 months.
Aging
Then they are blended and further age in oak for another 12 months.