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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 88.8 pts. and median of 88 pts. in 29 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by cfgwinn@gmail.com on 9/12/2023 & rated 89 points: Drank after open an hour. Tannins are "softer" now, but still VERY present. Low acid. Dark and red fruits are more muted with a hint of tobacco and tar. I would not hold this bottle past this year. (248 views) | | | Tasted by KLEM on 7/23/2023: flawed or spent. Dark brick, tasted like a cheap port. (284 views) | | | Tasted by ciaovito on 1/24/2022 & rated 93 points: PnP. Fantastically pure nebbiolo. Vibrant and forceful. Quintessential aromas of tar, licorice, cherries, cinnamon and spice that adds a load of complexity and a strong tannic spine which promises continued development. Perhaps I drank this too early but it reveals the magic of the grape in any ways. I was prompted into the 2011 after drinking the 2010 on Friday. Both wines are showing the same in flavor profiles but I think the 2011 is a more age worthy vintage in Barbaresco generally. (723 views) | | | Tasted by czar33 on 5/24/2020 & rated 87 points: Prêt à boire, un peu fatigué, orangé, bien mais court. (1234 views) | | | Tasted by M57 on 2/25/2019 & rated 88 points: Medicinal bright start - cherry tart, red licorice, strawberry jam, dried fruit (raisins) on the finish. Has a bit of Cab Franc attitude. Heat. Medium. (1460 views) | | | Tasted by andtheodor on 12/3/2018 & rated 84 points: Maybe it needed more air but this was charmless and narrow, giving only some dull cherry and plenty of drying tannin. (1665 views) | | | Tasted by David J Cooper on 7/15/2018 & rated 87 points: Clear light red, dull. Light Nebbiolo nose that at It's best shows some floral cherry fruit but that fades pretty quickly. Decent cherry palate and a balanced finish.
I think I'm over these guys. These cost me a couple of bucks more then the Produttori del Barbaresco Torres and are nowhere near as good. (1756 views) | | | Tasted by SiR on 6/17/2018 & rated 90 points: 15.0% - Clear, med garnet with a bricking hue / clean, med+ intensity - cherry pit, blackcurrant, bramble, rose water, eucalyptus / dry, med+ acidity, high tannin, med body, med+ intensity, no heat from the rather high % of alcohol, with lingering concentrated berry fruit/floral finish. 90(+) Could benefit from a few more years, but open for business right now! (1400 views) | | | Tasted by David J Cooper on 3/17/2018 & rated 91 points: Clear medium light red. Earthy red cherry, smoky oak, and roasted meat. Delicious earthy cherry flavours and a great tannic finish.
Early days but it is a lot of fun to drink right now. (1275 views) | | | Tasted by David J Cooper on 2/10/2018 & rated 88 points: Light bright red. Medium intense nose of violets, cherry, and cassis. Very elegant and polished. Tasty red cherry and cola flavours and a balanced finish with just a hint of oak.
There is nothing wrong with this wine but it is just a bit too fruit driven and clean for me. (999 views) | | | Tasted by RockinCabs on 9/1/2017 & rated 89 points: Nice casual dinner wine. Nose: Deep red fruit and sandalwood. Palate: Nice med+ bodied with red berry fruit, black cherry, herbs and dusty oak notes. Finish: Holds well and never out of balance. Perfumed finish. This was a great barbaresco that is so friendly at the dinner table pairing with an array of foods. In half it was very ready to go. (1608 views) | | | Tasted by KeithAkers on 1/18/2017 & rated 89 points: Flickinger's tasting at the Casino (The Casino, Chicago IL): Nose: The nose is straight forward and balanced with licorice, spice tones, red cherries, raspberries, and tar. It is lacking some depth and complexity, but the nose still has a red-fruited and upper register take.
Taste: Medium bodied with high acidity and high tannins. The structure, while youthful, is balanced and not too obtrusive. The feel has a freshness to it with red cherries, raspberries, tar, licorice, and some herbs.
Overall: This is a pretty and upfront young Barbaresco. It does lack some depth on the nose and palate, but, it is a friendly and enjoyable Barbaresco to drink over the short to mid-term. (1244 views) | | | Tasted by Tonyboons33 on 9/28/2016 & rated 89 points: After decanting for 1 hour still very tight and tannic. It did open up a bit after that, I saved half the bottle for the next day and it was more enjoyable. Nicely balanced, stands up nicely to richer heavier foods. I have a couple more bottles that I'll give at least another year before I open. (1737 views) | | | Tasted by TannicBeast on 5/31/2016: Decanted for two hours. This wine is still a little too tight and tannic to really be enjoyed, even after a decant. Clean aromas of black cherry, red cherry, licorice and a little spice. The palate is dry, medium (+) to high in acidity, with grippy tannins. I would only give it an 89, but it has plenty of upside potential in the next several years. (1782 views) | | | Tasted by chatters on 4/14/2016: Wine-Ark Cellar Club April 2016 (Bourke Road, Alexandria): Polished; cream, cherry and berry, tiny touches of wet cardboard, floral top notes…in the mouth cream, spice, cherry, berry, all over grabbing tight tannins that are very slightly gritty. Okay. (2185 views) | | | Tasted by RockinCabs on 2/24/2016: Cantina Del Pino Tasting with Renato Vacca (Gordon's Wines - Waltham, MA): Nose: Medicinal Cherry, Spice, Tarragon and slight wood smoke. Palate: White Cherry, Strawberry, Mint and a "pop" of mid-palate vanilla. Finish: Mineral, Raspberry seeds and berries (red currants?) (2471 views) | | | Tasted by David J Cooper on 2/6/2016 & rated 88 points: Decanted for an hour or so. The nose on this was so tightly wound that it was hard to coax anything out of it. Way too early. (1046 views) | | | Tasted by cdp1276 on 2/6/2016 & rated 88 points: A little dull but can be a solid contender in a few years. Great flavor. (1537 views) | | | Tasted by Raders on 12/31/2015 & rated 88 points: Very clear cherry and blackberry nose. Tastes of prune very dry gritty tannins with a long finish (940 views) | | | Tasted by David J Cooper on 11/27/2015 & rated 91 points: Light red. Tight nose, strawberries, balsam, red flowers and smoke. Dry red fruit flavours and a very tannic finish.
A delicious traditional Barbaresco. (992 views) | | | Tasted by FransS on 11/14/2015 & rated 87 points: Expensive, small flowers and the same amount of tannins as the barbera, so again, wait some years. (917 views) | | | Tasted by HowardNZ on 7/3/2015: Lunch with Aldo and Renato: Made from a mix of Ovello fruit (60-70 year old vines) and fruit from other, younger vines, Renato said. An attractive, expressive nose of red fruit, asphalt and dry earth. A supple and succulent wine, with ripe, juicy red cherries and other red fruit and some soil and tar. Generous and uncomplicated. Satiny mouthfeel. A good entry level Barbaresco. (1757 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Mike Bennie
The WINEFRONT (3/11/2016)
(Cantina del Pino Barbaresco) Subscribe to see review text. | By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, 2012 & 2013 Barbaresco – A Study in Contrasts (Dec 2015) (12/1/2015)
(Cantina Del Pino Barbaresco) Subscribe to see review text. | By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, Barbaresco 2010: Treiso Shines (Oct 2013)
(Cantina Del Pino Barbaresco) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of The WINEFRONT and Vinous. (manage subscription channels) |
| Cantina del Pino Producer website
A tribute to Barbaresco grower-producer Renato Vacca
{Aug. 26, 2022: The text below is freely available online, not behind a paywall. Click the link above to see photos of the man and his vineyards.}
MARCH 24, 2020 BY KERIN O'KEEFE
A tribute to Barbaresco grower-producer Renato Vacca
On March 14, Barbaresco lost one of its most passionate winemakers, Renato Vacca. Owner of the boutique winery Cantina del Pino, Vacca was one of the denomination’s most respected and liked producers. He was 51.
Renato Vacca made stunning wines that conveyed their unique growing zones. I visited him several times while writing my book Barolo and Barbaresco, and after following him around his vineyards, I learned a great deal about Nebbiolo cultivation and Barbaresco’s greatest growing areas. I will always be grateful.
A graduate of Alba’s Scuola Enologica, Vacca worked for five years in the cellars of Barbaresco’s famed cooperative cellar, I Produttori del Barbaresco before taking over his family’s firm in 1997. Acquired by his great-grandfather, the small estate was once owned by Domizio Cavazza, who is hailed as the Father of Barbaresco and who was the first director of Alba’s Royal Enological School.
Named after the pine tree Cavazza planted after the birth of his son, Cantina del Pino is located on the famed Ovello hillside, one of the greatest vineyard areas in the denomination. Renato hailed from generations of grape growers, and his father and uncle were among the founding members of I Produttori. After he joined the firm in 1997, Cantina del Pino bottled its first wines.
One of the true believers in making terroir-driven wines with character and personality, Renato Vacca believed in guiding his wines, never forcing them. In the vineyards, which include old vines planted by his grand-father, he carefully tended to his vines, shunning harsh chemicals and chemical fertilizers. In the cellars, he was a scrupulous non-interventionist. He also believed that Nebbiolo should not be entirely destemmed, but allowed 10-15% of perfectly ripe stems in the fermentation-maceration process to impart noble tannins that gave his wines another dimension.
One of the most experienced growers in Barbaresco, Vacca had a profound knowledge of the denomination’s best vineyard areas, and over the years he acquired property in Neive. While Ovello is known for its elegance and fragrance, Vacca’s Albesani from Neive is more structured with richer fruit. Just a few years ago, Vacca also began making a Gallina Barbaresco that beautifully combines precision, body and finesse.
Despite his success, Renato Vacca was always modest and respectful, and as the Italians say, gentile. He will be missed by all knew him and by all who enjoyed his breathtaking wines.NebbioloNebbiolo is a red grape indigenous to the Piedmont region of Italy in the Northwest. The grape can also be found in other parts of the world, though they are not as respected.
Nebbiolo is often considered the "king of red wines," as it is the grape of the famed wines of Barolo DOCG, Barbaresco DOCG, and Roero DOCG. It is known for high tannins and acidity, but with a distinct finesse. When grown on clay, Nebbiolo can be very powerful, tannic, and require long aging periods to reach its full potential. When grown on sand, the grape exhibits a more approachable body with more elegant fruit and less tannins, but still has high aging potential.
"Nebbiolo" is named for the Italian word, "nebbia", which means "fog", in Italian and rightfully so since there is generally a lot of fog in the foothills of Piedmont during harvest.
Nebbiolo is a late-ripening variety that does best in a continental climate that boasts moderate summers and long autumns. In Piedmont, Nebbiolo is normally harvested in October.
More links:
Varietal character (Appellation America) | Nebbiolo on CellarTrackerItaly Italian Wines (ItalianMade.com, The Italian Trade Commission) | Italian Wine Guide on the WineDoctorPiedmont Vignaioli Piemontesi (Italian only)
On weinlagen-infoLanghe Consorzio di Tutela Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe e Roero | Union of Producers of Albese Wines (Albeisa)Barbaresco Geographical details of the DOCG down to single vineyards. The vineyards belonging to the comune Barbaresco can be found here |
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