Top Wines
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Red
Cantina del Pino Barbaresco Ovello
6,197 bottles
CT91.5 average score
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Red
Cantina del Pino Barbaresco
5,027 bottles
CT89.5 average score
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Red
Cantina del Pino Barbaresco Albesani
2,778 bottles
CT91.4 average score
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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.
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.
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Group wines by:
| wine type | Name, Type, Locale | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Rosé |
Cantina del Pino Langhe Nebbiolo Ragazzaccio(View Label Image)Rosé, Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC |
|
| Red |
Cantina del Pino Barbaresco(View Label Image)Red, Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco |
|
| Red |
Cantina del Pino Barbaresco 150th Anniversary(View Label Image)Red, Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco |
|
| Red |
Cantina del Pino Barbaresco Albesani(View Label Image)Red, Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco |
|
| Red |
Cantina del Pino Barbaresco Gallina(View Label Image)Red, Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco |
|
| Red |
Cantina del Pino Barbaresco Ovello(View Label Image)Red, Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco |
|
| Red |
Cantina del Pino Barbera d'Alba Superiore(View Label Image)Red, Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Barbera d'Alba Superiore |
|
| Red |
Cantina del Pino Barbera d'Asti Bricco Gallinetta(View Label Image)Red, Italy, Piedmont, Asti, Barbera d'Asti |
|
| Red |
Cantina del Pino Barbera d'Asti Salvio Volpe(View Label Image)Red, Italy, Piedmont, Asti, Barbera d'Asti |
|
| Red |
Cantina del Pino Dolcetto d'Alba(View Label Image)Red, Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Dolcetto d'Alba |
|
| Red |
Cantina del Pino Langhe Freisa(View Label Image)Red, Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC |
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| Red |
Cantina del Pino Langhe Nebbiolo(View Label Image)Red, Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC |
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| Red |
Cantina del Pino Langhe Nebbiolo Ragazzaccio(View Label Image)Red, Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC |