2016 Tasting at Produttori del Barbaresco with Aldo Vacca
Tasted Saturday, July 16, 2016 by HowardNZ with 1,289 views
Introduction
Over the lunch and during our tasting we had talked about the Riserva vintages for Produttori.
Aldo had talked about 2016 so far for Produttori, saying there had been heavy rains in June and some hail recently. He said that the season was late starting and that there was uneven shoot growth (this was 20 June), but that the season was now catching up. As always, of course, he said that 15 August to 15 October 2016 will be the key dates ...
Aldo talked about his Riserva vintages:
2007-2011: He said that the 2007s were similar to the 2009s, being more accessible, earlier drinking wines than the more backward, structured 2008 Crus. He said 2009 was in some ways similar to 2011, but that the 2011s had extra fruit and were more lifted than the more austere 2009s. Personally, in terms of quality, I'd rate the recent Produttori Riserva vintages in this order: 2008, 2007, 2011 and 2009 (not that there's anything wrong with 2009s, as a more forward vintage ...).
2012: Riservas were not made because the "Crus did not have sufficiently intense, distinct personalities (they were too similar), so we just made the Normale". Aldo repeated what he has told me previously: "Our limit on the Crus is keeping the basic wine okay. I could double the Crus in volume but the Normale would suffer too much". In vintages when Riservas are made, SV grapes do still make up half of the Normale. Aldo will not make Crus in a vintage like 2010 to protect the quality of the Normale, which is Produttori's key wine.
2013: Riservas will be released between October 2016 and January 2017. The 2013 Crus are very good, in my opinion, based on two sets of barrel tastings, probably better than the 2011s. Aldo described the 2013 Riservas as (very approximately) a cross between the 2004s and 2005s (which sounds pretty good to me!).
2014: Riservas will be released in January 2019. Aldo was at pains to distinguish 2014 Barbareschi from Baroli, saying that Barbaresco produced many good wines in 2014 ("Just as good as 2013" said Aldo). From the Muncagota and Rabajà we tasted, and the 2014s we tasted at Bruno Rocca, I'd believe that ...
2015: Riservas will be made. Aldo described the SVs as being more like 2011s in character, than 2013s or 2014s.
2013 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
This wine had been less than three months in bottle. Aldo described 2013 as "Just as good in Barbaresco as in Barolo". He noted that the grapes had ripened well by the end of the season and characterised the vintage as having great aromatics. Stick your nose in this and you'll agree: an attractive bouquet of meadow flowers, spices, raspberries, red cherries and other red fruited aromas. On palate, I preferred the 2013 to the recent 2012 Normale I drank ... It has glossy, bright, succulent red fruit, but they have retained good freshness and acidity. It's well balanced without the extra alcohol you might find in a 2011. "A classic vintage" said Aldo.
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2011 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Montefico
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
At a recent 2011 Riserva horizontal I said we'd been surprised and disappointed by the Montefico, but wondered if it had totally shut down or was just a bad bottle. Aldo opened a bottle that showed that our previous bottle was indeed bad in some way ... On bouquet, dark florals and black fruit with that telltale Montefico minerals and chalk. In the mouth, it is a little closed. Aldo agreed: "Very intense, less open than some, very vertical". Fresher and more lively than the most recent bottle. A little tight, but precise and persistent. Some apparent sweetness to the tannins ("I love the bright 2011 tannins" said Aldo). Good length. Excellent! Give it 3+ years.
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