TN for Jay Hack: 2006 Produttori Barbaresco Normale, lot 9.097

WINE TALK
1

I had one of these stood up on a cellar cabinet, so given Jay’s question I thought I’d walk down and pull the cork.

Color is a translucent ruby at the core; youthful nose featuring menthol, primarily black cherry fruit and not a lot in the way of secondary development at this time.

Really spreads out nicely on the palate, smooth with tart cherry and nice acidity, yet still closing with noticeable (and slightly drying) tannin on the finish. This was just popped & poured, so I’ll see if anything of consequence develops with some air, but I could definitely see folks liking this wine right now (especially if they like their wines young and fruit-forward), although I also think it will continue to develop positively for another five years minimum.

[cheers.gif]

2

Much better now with a couple hours of air; that drying tannic edge has dissipated, and there is a nice tart, berry accent on the finish. Nose has remained primary, but this is quite accessible on the palate. I likee [wink.gif] .

3

bob, do you have a later lot # to compare side by side with right now?

I’ve loved this across the various lot #s that I’ve had

4

Don’t know, Keith - I still have two cases of this according to CT, but I’m pretty sure I bought them relatively early on release, so they may all be 9.097.

5

I did, however, also have a bottle of the 2004 Produttori Normale stood up as well, so I just opened that in lieu of trying to hunt through my semi-disorganized cellar to see if I had other lots of the '06 [drinkers.gif] .

This is a shade or two darker in color at the core than the '06; like the previous wine, the nose is very primary at this stage (as a contrast, I had bottles of the '03 & '05 Normale within the last two weeks and both of those wines are much more open/developed on the nose). Cool red fruits are probably the most pronounced aspect of this reticent nose right now.

Oh my, this is really nice on the palate - noticeably sweeter/riper cherry fruit framed by acidity, tannin is present but not obtrusive - this is nicer on opening than the '06 was after two hours of air, so it will be interesting to see what this wine does in the next two hours.

6

Late summer/fall a year ago, I tried bottles from lot 9.141 and 10.155. They were more similar than different, but the bottle from the latter lot was deeper and more structured. This wasn’t blind, but I always didn’t put much faith in the stories about the differing percentages of riserva juice at the time. FWIW, I think they were both great values and, to the extent that the latter bottling is better, it will show much more after 10 years, or so. If you’re going to drink them young, I don’t think it’s worth worrying about the lot.

-Al

7

Bob – I take it you were tasting the 06 and 04 without food?

8

John, initially, but I later remedied that with some pasta [cheers.gif] .