1988 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Rio Sordo

Community Tasting Notes (1) Avg Score: 88 points

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  2/20/2023 - forceberry wrote: 88 Points

  The fruit is sourced from the Rio Sordo vineyard. Released only after a minimum of four years of aging. Bottle #?392 of total 7890 bottles (the label was damaged, so no clue if there was a number before "3").
  
  Medium-deep, quite translucent and still relatively youthful pomegranate red color. The nose feels quite tertiary, somewhat pungent and a bit oxidative with tertiary aromas of dried dates, some balsamic tones, a little bit of tobacco, light asphalt tones, a hint of tar, a touch of saddle leather and a whiff of nutty rancio. The wine feels aged, ripe and savory on the palate with a full body and tertiary flavors of wizened red cherries, some tar, a little bit of pruney dark fruit, light balsamic notes of VA, oxidative hints of beef jerky and soy sauce and a touch of asphalt. Although old and quite silky in texture, the wine still retains a surprisingly firm structure, thanks to its high acidity and still quite grippy tannins. The finish is juicy, old and quite grippy with a long, dark-toned and rather tertiary aftertaste of tobacco, some tar, a little bit of pruney dark fruit, light oxidative notes of beef jerky, a hint of meat consommé and a touch of cigar.
  
  An enjoyable, structured and stylistically quite autumnal Barbaresco Riserva that has started reached its plateau of maturity years ago and has now started its decline. The structure has resolved relatively little and the tannins still pack quite a grip, but the fruit department has already turned moderately pruney and is slowly starting to fall apart, letting the more oxidative tones creep in. This is still thoroughly enjoyable and harmonious effort, but after a bunch of still surprisingly youthful 1980's Produttori Riservas, it was pretty obvious this bottle was not up to par with them.

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