Looking to stock up on this vintage. I don’t have access to any '16 Produttori at this time so I’d like to take the opportunity to try some others, in the sub $40 category. My strategy is buy some good performing wines that are excelling due to this great vintage and save some money. And cellar worthy so not necessarily Langhe, but would be open to exceptional wines from there. I would imagine some outperform entry level Barbaresco.
I already picked up:
2016 Fontanabianca Barbaresco ($20)
2016 Giuseppe Nada Barbaresco Casot ($40)
2016 Vite Colte Barbaresco La Casa in Collina ($25)
La Ca Nova is an easy choice, the 2016 Barbaresco should be about 30 bucks, and I see their Montefico and Montestefano for around 40 or less sometimes. Depends on your local availability.
It sure does depend on availability, more so in Canada where its not easy to shop out ones locale. And unfortunately La Ca Nova is not available in Alberta.
You got Fontanabianca for $20? That’s incredible. Is it somewhere I can buy it?
I visited there maybe ten years ago or so. It’s the classic old school Italian wine family - husband and wife run the winery and live upstairs in the modest building in the middle of their gorgeous vineyard. Some of the kids and siblings come to help out at harvest and crush. There is nothing the least bit fancy about the people or the place, nor do they have advanced degrees or expensive consultants, but it’s just really good, earnest winemaking. I like their wines a great deal, and they represent excellent value when you can find them (which has been getting harder the last few years).
I would describe their style neither as modernist or extremely traditional. They do use barriques to some extent, yet the wines are generally red fruited, pretty, and feminine in style, not big dark bruisers.
I’m speaking in broad terms from various bottlings of theirs (mostly the Sori Burdin) over many years, not about the 2016, which I haven’t tried. And as far as I have noticed, they get zero love on this board other than from me, so take my admiration for what it’s worth, which may not be much.
No admiration, Chris? That translates to no Gonon cultish exponential price increases. Not that thats going to happen here. I’ll post a tasting note up one day for you. Could be a while though.
It was actually $16 US. $23 Canadian. I only bought 6. The one truly great deal, and we don’t get many up here, and I only got 6! Here’s a picture of the sale. Not sure if the image link will work or not so you might have to manually load it. Imgur: The magic of the Internet
Chris looks like there is another Fontanabianca fan on WB. See the other post above. You have company
You got me going now. I can get more at the same price but before I order a case I’m going to open one up and give it a swirl tonight. Will report back later.
Dave I drank one of mine over the last day and I don’t like it that much. I think I’m going to return the rest of them and upgrade to something better.
If I may suggest something a bit above your planned max- Cascina della Rose Tre Stelle is really world class in 2016. Always a very good wine, in 2016 it is seriously good. I think I paid around $60 for it- and it is the best QPR play I have tried for the vintage.
Haha! I am happily single, so have not had to tackle that aspect of wine collecting.
Here is my TN FWIW,
2016 Cascina della Rose Tre Stelle
2/8/2020 - I like this wine: NR (Edit)
deep red purple color, a tight nose showing a fine breadth of dark spices, on the palate deep blackberry and cherry fruit, waves of herb and bramble notes coated with ripe fruit, quite firm and long finish, with time a great deal of complexity emerges- tea leaves, exotic spices, pointed little dots of complexity giving texture to an alluring and velvety fruit base, where the 2013 was a lovely mid-weight luncheon wine this is more of muscled panther ready to pounce on a large steak, an exceptional wine- all it needs is a brief rest in the cellar.
Thanks for the suggestion. I’m interested in upgrading more than downgrading for sure. Looks like the agent in Alberta hasn’t brought any in for some time. Their website lists the 2012 only. I’m inquiring on a 6 pack.