TN: 2015 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco (Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco)

I was very annoyed that the price seemed to have jumped for the 2015 vintage in the LA area, nearing the high $30s, fortunately my Total Wine just got the new vintage in and haven’t updated the price (yet), and it was still only 31 before discounts. Hooray!

After only a hour open in the bottle, it poured with some big, joyous aromas of wild strawberry, candied and dry red berry fruit and a seductively sweet floral perfume. Additional swirls in the glass gave up sweet orange peel, wood glue, cherry cough syrup, and a touch of spice.

On the palate it was snappy and fresh with fine grain tannin that is far less austere than the past few vintages, at least at this very early stage. No harm at all in opening one now to see if you like it. 14.5abv

I was initially worried about the ripe vintage leading to darker fruit (like 09), but it seems to have retained its red fruit character, albeit with a very sweet nose and 14.5abv. It may have less longevity, but Nebbiolo regularly fools me in that regard. The Wine Advocate’s review of this wine is completely, and laughably senseless, as if they tasted a different wine altogether.

Posted from CellarTracker

thanks for the note! can’t wait to get my hands on some

[scratch.gif] Can you elaborate? Don’t know what they said. And who was the reviewer?

I had this in late June at the winery, and liked it very much.

For 30 something bucks, the QPR on these always amaze me.

Monica Larner, she wrote it “opens to a visibly darker color and thicker concentration compared to recent past vintages. Next to the upcoming 2016 and 2017 editions, we can expect 2015 to be the most fruit-forward of the three. You get dark tones of plum and blackberry with dry tannins at the rear.”

Yes it is more fruit forward than typical, but I found it to be quite pale, I have half a burgundy bowl full of the wine right now and could read Moby Dick through it if I were so inclined.

“Thicker concentration” is what boggles my mind.

Reading Moby Dick is what boggles mine!

Just watch the movie. You’ll get through it faster and if you drink another glass of the Barbaresco, maybe will catch a few z’s.

“Wine Advocate, is that thing still around?”


-Homer Simpson.

Curious if you have had the 2016 Langhe to compare? Have a preference or view of QPR? Picked up a 2016 Langhe ($24 near me) and waiting to pick up the 2015 Normale to do the comparison.

I don’t see this as being nonsensical, as it probably will be the most “fruit-forward” of the 3 vintages. Not having even seen a 16 or 17 yet, however, I’ll just have to take her word for it.

I mentioned I did find it fruit forward, that was the one part of the review I did not disagree with.

I have only had one bottle of the 2016 Langhe, which I did not find to be anywhere near this level. The tannins were rough grained with out of whack alcoholic heat to it. This 2015 Barbaresco was very balanced, did not show the 14.5abv, with extremely fine but strong tannin; a supreme joy to drink. Maybe my Langhe bottle was sub-par, but I haven’t been blown away by previous vintages. I am in the minority however, so take my opinion with a grain of salt. Most here, and aldo vacca too, seem to think the Langhe is near the Barbaresco in quality in good vintages. IMHO, just because all of the Langhe fruit can legally be put into the Barbaresco doesn’t mean the final wine will be as good as the Barbaresco.

Thanks for the tasting note, I had a very similar impression and I like the wine a lot. So what if it’s enjoyable already, right? Unfortunately this vintage did come in with a $5 price hike, but honestly, It’s still an amazing value.

Yeah, I am a member of the 2016 Langhe is fantastic crowd.

I had one bottle of the 2016 (quite possibly on your recommendation) and ordered a case before I finished the first glass. For $15, it’s a pretty terrific daily drinker. On an unrelated note… stumbled into a wine shop I’d never been to today and found a case of the 2013 Asili collecting dust on the shelf. We can’t have these wines collecting dust… [wow.gif]

If you think the 2014 is austere (I’m sipping it now) – the 2015 must be a fruit bomb. Look forward to trying it…

I agree that the 2016 Produttori Langhe is excellent, deeper and more structured than typical. To me, it’s different from most releases of the Langhe in that it doesn’t have the immediate charm and prettiness, and will blossom with some age.

-Al

Rory, thanks for the tip on Total Wine, picked up some yesterday. My local Whole Foods had it at $50.

I had a case and a half of the 2015 Produttori Langhe (2 bottles left) over the past year so naturally wanted the 2016. Unfortunately the price here jumped from $16-$22 so I bought just 1 to try. I had it next to a $15 2015 Vajra Rosso that is still available here and the Vajra was a clear winner. Fresher, higher toned red fruits. The bottle was good for several days. Day 2 being the best. I bought a case. And a case for my neighbor who loved it.