1996 Pertinace (Cantina Vignaioli) Barbaresco

Garagiste

• By Jon Rimmerman
  5/28/2008, (See more on Garagiste...)

  (PERTINACE Barbaresco) Barbaresco Magnum Dear Friends, You keep asking for under $100 magnums of aged wine but they are not easy to come by. When I find them I pounce quickly and here is a top example that many of you will be very glad to enjoy. This wine has been a go-to choice for me at one of my favorite small restaurants north of Alba for the last 3-4 years. It seems like they bought the entire production on release (or they have a very close relationship with Pertinace) but the supply never seems to end. I'm not sure why I waited so long to do this, but I decided to take matters into my own hands by securing a stash for you. They didn't have any 750s but how about magnums? If you are looking for a large format Barbaresco from a classic vintage that won't break the bank (that you can actually enjoy now), this is your wine. Pertinace is a traditional producer and this wine actually smells and tastes like Nebbiolo (surprise!). There are no roto-fermenters, extract machines or desires to compete with the LMNS (La Morra New School). When I sit down to enjoy this wine, it's almost as though I've been transported to a different era - one where Barolo and Barbaresco were made as a wine of meditation and not of international monetary gain. Over the past few years, when I arrive in Italy and make the drive to Alba, it is not until I have a glass of something like this in front of me that I actually exhale - it is here that the spirit of Piedmont lives on and I'm thankful that producers such as Pertinace still exist. A wine like this is why we chase the elusive wine experience - it is neither flashy or overdone, it is just a beautiful reflection of one of the best vintages of the last twenty and it makes your evening meal one to remember. This set of 1996 magnums is ready to drink now or can be cellared for several years (I've had the wine form 750 and from 1.5 and the magnums are indeed younger and more potent). If you are looking for the essence of Barbaresco and its history or you are new to this region, a magnum of this wine would be a terrific addition to your cellar Like so many of the traditional producers, Pertinace saved the best material in 1996 for the magnums and double magnums. They didn't make very many of these and the price is well within reason for a wine of this ilk. A great find in perfect condition. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED as a magnum of aged, esoteric wine at a very fair price This parcel is directly from he source with perfect provenance 1996 Vignaioli Elvio Pertinace Barbaresco 1.5lt Thank you, Jon Rimmerman Garagiste Seattle, WA Italy6011