I have long admired Produttori del Barbaresco and began systematically tasting their wines with the 1996 vintage. Over the years, there have been many highlights and very few disappointments. Among the vintages I have extensively tasted, I would probably rank 2004, 2008, and more recently, 2013 and the incredible 2016 in the top tier. There were many other vintages that were also very good, and stylistic preferences might play a certain role, too. Just a few weeks ago, I also attended a Montestefano vertical tasting where similar vintages came out on top for me. If you have ever had the privilege to taste a perfectly stored bottle of their Barbaresco from 1970, 1971, 1974, or 1978, you know that Barbaresco, but also the cooperative, is very special. For more information on Montestefano and some background information on Produttori del Barbaresco, please also refer to my article from March 2024 Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano Vertikale 2001 – 2017 (GERMAN) – www.winelens.com.
Produttori del Barbaresco – Maybe the World’s Leading Wine Cooperative?
Produttori del Barbaresco has a fascinating history, from its early days as a “cantina sociale” founded in 1894 by the visionary Domizio Cavazza. The cantina ceased operations during the fascism of the 1930s and had its renaissance in 1958 under the vision of Don Fiorino, the town’s priest, and the leadership of a few similarly visionary farmers.
Originally, nine farmers joined forces and produced their first vintages in the cellar of the priest’s house right next to the church. The new winery is still in the very same town square, across from the church in Barbaresco. One of the nine founders of the original “cantina sociale” was Giuseppe Vacca, the great-grandfather of Aldo Vacca, who has been the mastermind and Managing Director of the new cooperative since 1998. To complete the family affair, Aldo Vacca’s father, Celestino Vacca, was one of the driving forces behind the “new” cooperative founded in 1958, known as the Produttori del Barbaresco as we know them now. Many things were quite improvised back in those days, as was often the case at that time. There are fascinating insights into the earlier days of the Produttori in Levi Dalton’s podcast and interview “I’ll Drink to That! No. 440: Aldo Vacca on the history and future of Barbaresco.” As Celestino Vacca was the only one of the farmers with a university degree in 1958, he had to run the business. And because one of the farmers had a walking disability (a limp), he was appointed as cellarmaster by the others as he wouldn’t be able to do certain vineyard works. From these early times of trial and error, the Produttori have come a long way and are nowadays considered a textbook cooperative and winery of the highest level. Together with legends like Angelo Gaja and Bruno Giacosa, the Produttori del Barbaresco were one of the early driving forces that put Barbaresco on the map for wine connoisseurs worldwide.
The philosophy and vision of the house have remained very consistent over the decades. With over 50 farmers now managing approximately 100 hectares of vineyards, the most important decisions are made by a board of nine elected representatives. These nine board members, along with their elected president, are responsible for all crucial decisions. This modern yet “democratic” governance structure ensures that the most crucial strategic decisions are widely accepted among the landowners and members of the cooperative.
So how do you ensure that more than 50 farmers from different families have a similar approach to quality when farming their vineyards? One of the most important changes Aldo Vacca, who holds both a degree in agriculture and a Master’s degree from UC Davis in the US, made was to set new incentives for the quality of the grapes delivered. Back in the day, it was normal for a cooperative to pay its members based on either the weight of the grapes provided, which would incentivize high yields, or the sugar level of the grapes, which seemed an early indicator of quality but became more problematic with increasing temperatures and ripeness. In 1998, therefore, Aldo Vacca established a system in which every batch of grapes delivered by the members is analyzed regarding sugar level, color intensity (a proxy for aromatic depth), and phenolic ripeness to ensure that the grapes are ripe, have great aromatics, and good quality tannin. Depending on these parameters, the price for each individual batch of grapes will be set. Therefore, farmers will earn more money if they deliver excellent quality grapes, providing a clear financial incentive for diligent work in the vineyards. Additionally, the prices of the different batches are published daily in the town square, leading to healthy competition between the different farmers, who all strive not only to get the best price for their grapes but also recognition from their peers. Based on the analysis explained above, the decision is made as to whether a certain batch of grapes will be part of the Cru or the Barbaresco Annata.
Having access to grapes from nine of the best Crus in Barbaresco from roughly 50 farmers also puts the cooperative in the position of being able to choose the best grapes from each individual Cru, sometimes with different exposures and slightly different soil compositions in every vintage.
One of the things that has remained unchanged over the years is that the Board of the cooperative decides for every vintage whether the Cru Riservas are made or not. If they are released, all nine of them are made. So there are always either all the single-vineyard Barbarescos or none of them. According to Aldo Vacca, this is one of the reasons why the 50+ farmers work so well together in the cooperative, as only releasing certain Crus in a given vintage would lead to tension between the members. Additionally, this also ensures consistent quality in their Barbaresco Annata, considered the flagship wine of the cooperative.
Today, the Produttori are one of the very few wineries that only produce Nebbiolo, while most of the producers in the Langhe also plant Barbera, Dolcetto, and sometimes Freisa, Arneis, or other local varieties. This clear focus on Nebbiolo has also become a strong Unique Selling Proposition (USP) for the Produttori. The wines produced include Langhe Nebbiolo, Barbaresco (Annata), and the Crus Asili, Montefico, Montestefano, Muncagota, Ovello, Pajè, Pora, Rabaja, and Rio Sordo.
The winemaking is very traditional, with low intervention in the cellar. There are large stainless steel fermentation tanks of 50hl for the single vineyards and even 100hl (for the Nebbiolo, Annata, and the larger Crus like Ovello, Pora, and Montestefano). The fermentation vessels are temperature-controlled. All the wines spend a considerable amount of time on the skins (usually from 20 to 30 days in a normal year) with pump-overs two to three times a day. There is gentle pressing with a pneumatic press. The wines spend at least 30 months (Crus) in large Italian barrels of Slavonian and French oak to age, and some time in the bottle before being released.
Produttori del Barbaresco produces around 550,000 bottles per year, of which in a good vintage, half are Barbaresco (Annata), 30% single Crus, and around 20% Nebbiolo Langhe.
The Vintage 2019
The winter was dry but lasted until late February, followed by a rainy spring with low temperatures, which slightly delayed growth. Abundant rain in April filled the water reserves, which were still somewhat scarce after the dry winter. Mixed weather with mild temperatures in May led to the vines being roughly two weeks behind. June was warm, leading to fast vegetation growth, and a first heat wave appeared in late June/early July, interrupted by rain and milder temperatures. A second heat wave hit in late July, with some storms that, fortunately, did not damage the vineyards. August was warm and “normal”, followed by a sudden drop in temperatures in the first week of September and some precipitation again. The rest of September was milder again with good diurnal shifts, preserving freshness. Harvest started late by today’s standards on the 8th of October and finished on the 18th of October with only one day of light rain in between. The vintage can be considered pretty classic and late-ripening by modern standards but also with heatwaves in the summer that accumulated sugar.
The Wines
The tasting was held at Buonvini in Zürich in a very friendly and professional environment. From my perspective, while tasting, the wines carry both signatures of warmer vintages (slightly elevated alcohol levels, moderate acidity) as well as cooler characteristics like an overall mid-weight appearance and sometimes slightly drying tannins by today’s standards. Most of the wines seemed pretty classic, with a few cases in which I had slight question marks about the tannins. So where would I rank the vintage? I don’t think that 2019 has the overall excellence of 2016 or the classicism of 2013; it reminded me more of a classic 2014 with a touch of extra ripeness. From my perspective, it’s a good, but not a great vintage, and the wines might need some time to come together. There was a clear difference between the different Crus, which made the tasting as fascinating as a walk through the vineyards, but at the same time, I also had pretty clear favorites. The tasting also once again made it clear that vintages in Barbaresco and Barolo can be quite different in outcome. Based on what I have tasted so far, I would rank the 2019 Barolo vintage significantly higher than in Barbaresco. There are still very good wines to be found in Barbaresco.
Produttori del Barbaresco, Nebbiolo Langhe 2022, 89 points
Pale-medium ruby color with pretty high viscosity. Super explosive red berry fruit, with hints of violets. Almost sweet red berries and cherries. It’s lighter-medium bodied, with medium acidity and medium tannins. Good length. A pleasure bomb of Nebbiolo and just very delicious, pardon my slightly unprofessional vocabulary.
Produttori del Barbaresco, Barbaresco 2019, 91 points
Deeper and a little more layered, with notes of red berries, some tar, graphite, herbal, and floral notes. It’s medium+ bodied, with medium-high acidity and medium-high tannins that are good. Also good length. A very good but not great Annata, slightly cooler and slightly rustic, but classic in essence. This might need a little time to integrate the tannins.
Produttori del Barbaresco, Barbaresco Riserva Asili 2019, 93 points
Asili is one of the historic Crus in Barbaresco and is often considered one of the very best terroirs the village of Barbaresco has to offer. For example, Antonio Galloni (Vinous) considers Asili an “exceptional” Cru and “one of the great sites in Barbaresco”. There is calcareous limestone with sandy veins. The sandier soil usually gives the wines an extra level of finesse and polish, with silkier tannins. There are usually around 10,000 bottles of Asili.
Pretty perfumed, with pure red fruit, herbal notes, fennel seeds, flowery notes, and a touch of orange zest. It’s medium+ bodied, with medium-high tannins that are good, some pretty high acidity, and overall complexity building up with more air. This is very good and has good potential. Knowing the potential of Asili, I might be a little conservative here.
Produttori del Barbaresco, Barbaresco Riserva Montefico 2019, 94+ points
People in the know have always considered Montefico a top Cru, but in the general public, it usually wasn’t mentioned in the same group with Asili, Rabaja, and maybe Montestefano and Sori San Lorenzo. With rising temperatures, the high and formerly sometimes slightly rustic tannins have softened a little, while still being one of the signatures of Montefico, together with its intense minerality and tension. Antonio Galloni considers Montefico “outstanding”, just a notch below the three top-Crus. The soil is calcareous limestone. Montefico is considered particularly ageworthy. There are usually around 10,000 bottles of Montefico.
Red fruited and fresh, this shows notes of pure red and darker red berries, mint, beautiful minerality, and cedar wood. It’s medium-full bodied, with high (but ripe) tannins, pretty high acidity, and excellent overall potential. Pretty long, intense finish. An excellent Montefico with a very long life ahead.
Produttori del Barbaresco, Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano 2019, 94+ points
Montestefano has always been considered one of the top Crus of Barbaresco, together with Rabajà, Asili, Sori San Lorenzo, and lately also Montefico. Antonio Galloni considers the Cru “outstanding”. The soil consists mostly of calcareous limestone and is one of the warmer locations in Barbaresco, usually providing a level of extra fruit buffering the authoritative structure of Montestefano a little. The wines are ageworthy and have excellent depth and, in the best cases, intoxicating aromatics. There are usually around 15,000 bottles of Montestefano.
This is very Montestefano, with notes of darker fruit, dark red berries, darker plum, some menthol, sweet spices, balsamic notes, darker style as always in Montestefano. There is medium-full body, with medium-high acidity and pretty high tannins that are buffered by the wealth of fruit, as it usually is with this Cru. Long finish. A very good wine full of character and potential.
Produttori del Barbaresco, Barbaresco Riserva Muncagota 2019, 91 points
Even if Muncagota also has soil mostly of calcareous limestone, it usually presents a slightly lighter, easier-to-drink expression of Barbaresco. It doesn’t have the complexity of the best Crus, but it usually provides something to drink while the “bigger” Crus are maturing. Antonio Galloni considers Muncagota “outstanding”, but I would put it clearly behind Montestefano and Montefico, probably also Pajè and Ovello, as well as, of course, Asili and Rabajà. There are usually around 10‘000 bottles of Muncagota.
Pretty nice perfume with red and darker red fruit, some mint, also some flowery notes, overall a little less complex than some of the others. It’s medium+ bodied, with medium-high tannins that are relatively round and some medium-high acidity. Medium length. A nice, charming Muncagota that doesn’t have the depth of the best wines but might be accessible earlier.
Produttori del Barbaresco, Barbaresco Riserva Ovello 2019, 92 points
The Ovello vineyard consists of calcareous limestone with some clay and, in the best cases, combines beautiful aromatics with good structure for aging. Ovello is one of the larger Crus, and it’s not that easy to clearly associate characteristics with this vineyard, but in the best cases, I would consider the wines “cooler, more inward, full of energy and tension with tannins that can be pretty incisive”. Antonio Galloni is considering Ovello “outstanding”. There are usually around 15‘000 – 20‘000 bottles of this Cru.
Very perfumed, with notes of red and dark plum, some strawberries too, some crushed flowers, and some spices, too. It’s medium-full bodied, with medium-high tannins and some medium-high acidity, overall pretty harmonious, but only at the first taste. The tannin turns a little rough then, while retasting it. Not sure how the tannin will integrate here; this left me a little puzzled… Aromatically, this would deserve a higher rating, but the dryness of the tannin leaves a question mark here.
Produttori del Barbaresco, Barbaresco Riserva Pajè 2019, 91 points
Pajè is considered middle-ground in the (unofficial) hierarchy of the Barbaresco Crus. The vineyard has clay and limestone, with some sandy veins. Antonio Galloni does consider it “outstanding”, while I would rank it slightly lower. There are usually around 7‘000 bottles of Pajè.
This seems pretty balanced, with some red and darker fruit, there is also some minerality, some spiciness, and cedar wood. It’s medium-full bodied, with pretty high tannin that is sticking out a little at this stage. Medium-high acidity. Good length. Middle of the pack today, slight question mark on the tannin here.
Produttori del Barbaresco, Barbaresco Riserva Pora 2019, 93 points
The Pora Cru consists of limestone and clay, is relatively rich in calcium, and has sandy veins. It’s considered “noteworthy” by Antonio Galloni, but it’s usually not considered one of the very best Crus in Barbaresco. There are usually around 10‘000 – 15‘000 bottles of Pora.
This was a positive surprise. Nicely perfumed, with notes of darker and red berries, dried herbs, some crushed flowers, intense minerality, there is also some mint and a touch of tobacco. Medium-full bodied, with very good persistence, pretty high tannin that seems ripe, and also some pretty high acidity adding freshness. Good length. One of the more complete wines in the line-up. It might not have the depth and aging potential of the very best wines today, but this is really good.
Produttori del Barbaresco, Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà 2019, 95 points
Rabajà is widely considered one of the very best Crus in Barbaresco with a long history of excellence. Antonio Galloni considers Rabajà “exceptional” and therefore first tier in Barbaresco. The vineyard is mostly limestone and clay, particularly rich in calcium with sandy veins. In the best cases, Rabajà combines a massive structure and great aging potential with superb aromatic complexity that might need considerable time to fully develop. I am thinking of Rabajà as the “most complete” of the Barbaresco Crus. There are usually around 15‘000 bottles of Rabajà.
Super young, but layered with nicely building aromatics of dark cherries, some red berries too, some menthol, mint, pine, also some minerality and earthy notes and hinting at flowery notes like lavender, too. It’s medium-full bodied, has high acidity and high-quality tannin. Long finish. A very good Rabajà and one of the most complete wines. Superb.
Produttori del Barbaresco, Barbaresco Riserva Rio Sordo 2019, 91 points
Rio Sordo also consists of limestone, clay, has a higher amount of calcium, and some sandy parts, too. It is considered good, but not great terroir. Antonio Galloni considers the vineyard “noteworthy”, but from my perspective, it is usually easier to drink but a clear step down from some of the best vineyards. There are usually around 10‘000 bottles of Rio Sordo.
Darker toned fruit, also some flowery notes and a touch of spices, overall a little simpler than some of the other wines. It’s medium-full bodied, showing good, integrated tannin, but also just overall a little more four-square. Good acidity and medium length. A Rio Sordo that is nice but not very exciting.
Author: Markus Kumschick, WSET III
May 2024