Wine Article
2004 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco
Last edited on 8/10/2008 by Cobbster
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The 2004 season has been a "smooth" one for the grapes of Barbaresco, neither too hot or to cold, with average spring rainfall and a relatively dry summer. After the awkward 2002 and 2003 vintages (being the 2002 season very wet and the 2003 very hot and dry) the 2004 was "uneventful" and easy, with nice flowering and fruit - set and therefore resulting in a larger than average crop. Because of that, growers have been very careful all through the summer with severe thinning of the crop in order to have, at the beginning of September a fairly balanced production in the vineyards.
The once again beautiful September weather, warm days and cool nights, allowed a nice ripening of the colour and aromatic compounds, as well as a good sugar accumulation. Harvest started late for the Produttori del Barbaresco, on October 8th with healthy grapes and very good figures. Ratio between skins and juice was more in favour of the latter, which sometimes means a "diluted" vintage: the high level of sugar, colour and fenolic compounds, though, were a good indication of excellent quality. Rain come after October 20th with 80% of the crop already in; nevertheless even the grapes picked after the rain showed good numbers, a proof of the healthy character of the crop itself. 2004 vintage will be a very good one; like most of the late harvesting vintages will show intense flavours and rich fruit; maybe not as tight and tannic as the low producing vintages of 1999 and 2001; more similar to the rich and powerful 1990.
The once again beautiful September weather, warm days and cool nights, allowed a nice ripening of the colour and aromatic compounds, as well as a good sugar accumulation. Harvest started late for the Produttori del Barbaresco, on October 8th with healthy grapes and very good figures. Ratio between skins and juice was more in favour of the latter, which sometimes means a "diluted" vintage: the high level of sugar, colour and fenolic compounds, though, were a good indication of excellent quality. Rain come after October 20th with 80% of the crop already in; nevertheless even the grapes picked after the rain showed good numbers, a proof of the healthy character of the crop itself. 2004 vintage will be a very good one; like most of the late harvesting vintages will show intense flavours and rich fruit; maybe not as tight and tannic as the low producing vintages of 1999 and 2001; more similar to the rich and powerful 1990.