Up-and-coming small Barbaresco producers

[Gary_York]

Good luck with the up-and-coming and all of that, but unless/until they start growing new hills around Barbaresco you might find that your time/money is better spent exploring the producers that you already know more fully.

[Keith_Levenberg]

@Ken V

@g.colangelo

I liked the Rabaja` 2008 by Lorenzo Alutto. That must have been his first vintage.
I plan to try his 2010 soon. Agreed on RIzzi - I like their wines very much! (Their name is Dellapiana, by the way).

And close to his last. Renzo sold his parcel of Rabaja to Bruno Giacosa in 2013.

That’s a damn shame. I loved the Alutto 2009s and had really been looking forward to following this producer. More $200 wine with a Giacosa label isn’t nearly as exciting.

[George_Tita]

@Geir A

Good to see a little bit of activity here, though it’s not like the place is crackling. (I wonder how much more interest a similar thread on Barolo would draw?)

Cascina delle Rose and Bondonio seem like interesting names. The latter’s pricing appears somewhat high for a winery with a very short history, don’t know if that’s an issue of this local market or reflective of the producer?

Hi Geir - WRT Olek’s prices, it’s basically an issue of having a tiny production and increased demand worldwide… He’s become quite the darling in the UK, HK and Australia such that I went from being his only importer to being put on an allocation. I’ve been able to hold prices constant on the last three vintages given that he’s increased his total production (dolcetto, barbera, grignolino, nebbiolo, base Barbaresco and Cru) from 12,000 to 14,000 bottles. The dozen cases of grignolino I have on a boat right now will be his last as he replanted that area in Roncagliette with nebbiolo.

Seeing what it takes Olek to produce his wines makes the Produttori wines all that much of a screaming deal year in and year out! In fact, Olek only has 1/3 of the family’s total property (La Berchialla) with his aunt/uncle selling the rest to the Produttori.

Best,
George

[Brad_Bailey]

Does anyone know anything about Na Giurna? I really enjoyed their Barbaresco when I was there a few years ago. I know they were a very small producer, if I recall correctly only 150-200 cases annually. They have a very small website but it’s all in Italian and I haven’t been able to find anything else out about them.

[g.colangelo]

@Ken V

@g.colangelo

I liked the Rabaja` 2008 by Lorenzo Alutto. That must have been his first vintage.
I plan to try his 2010 soon. Agreed on RIzzi - I like their wines very much! (Their name is Dellapiana, by the way).

And close to his last. Renzo sold his parcel of Rabaja to Bruno Giacosa in 2013.

Really?! What a pity! I understand he did a mess with the name of his winery (originally Ca’ du Rabaja) and was sued (I think by Bruno Rocca "Azienda Agricola Rabaja").
Perhaps this is why he needed money. He sold his 2010 much cheaper than the 2008.

[Ian_Sutton]

Quite well known now, but Cantina del Pino seemed to be on a very fast upwards trajectory from only relatively recently making their own wine rather than selling grapes to the co-op (an awful description for P del B I know).

Birger Vejrum on other wine fora for a has a good nose for value, which perhaps falls more into ‘under the radar’ than ‘up and coming’. Places like Giuseppe Nada and Fratelli Grasso.

I also like Ca Nova in Barbaresco itself for value, though the name is deceptive - they’ve been around for many years.

[Sanjay_Nandurkar]

Is F Nada up and coming or ‘comed’

[Ian_Sutton]

Hi Sanjay
Fiorenzo Nada is a different (and you’re right, very much more famous) producer.
regards
Ian

[Thomas_Keim]

@Gary York

I have had De Forville several times. The 2010 only once and it was the Loreto. Rizzi several times. Like I said, I wouldn’t be looking for much. Maybe you will have better luck with the wines. Or you have different taste.

Every De Forville Barbaresco I’ve had has tasted light and unassuming after release. All were very light in color as well, so I never put a lot of stock into them aging well as they just didn’t seem like they could go even a short distance.

Luckily I saved a few bottles of each vintage ('93/'95) and at 12-13 years of age they were simply gorgeous. Very pretty and aromatic on the nose with just the silkiest of fruit. Both times I was expecting over the hill wines and couldn’t believe how well they aged. An '83 Barbaresco at 30 years of age was also another stud.

And these were all the regular Barbaresco, not the Loreto.

[John_Morris]

@Thomas Keim

Every De Forville Barbaresco I’ve had has tasted light and unassuming after release. All were very light in color as well, so I never put a lot of stock into them aging well as they just didn’t seem like they could go even a short distance.

Sounds exactly like my impression Marcarini when I first got interested in Barolo.

[Oliver_McCrum]

@Ian Sutton

Quite well known now, but Cantina del Pino seemed to be on a very fast upwards trajectory from only relatively recently making their own wine rather than selling grapes to the co-op (an awful description for P del B I know).

I think Cantina del Pino has been making wine for 15 years or more.

[Oliver_McCrum]

@John Morris

@Thomas Keim

Every De Forville Barbaresco I’ve had has tasted light and unassuming after release. All were very light in color as well, so I never put a lot of stock into them aging well as they just didn’t seem like they could go even a short distance.

Sounds exactly like my impression Marcarini when I first got interested in Barolo.

I had to unlearn everything I knew about color and quality when I started getting interested in Barolo.

I just saw a retail blast that described a Barbaresco as ‘blurple’ in color, intended positively; so I suppose the message hasn’t gotten all the way through the trade…

[Tvrtko_C]

@Oliver McCrum

I just saw a retail blast that described a Barbaresco as ‘blurple’ in color, intended positively; so I suppose the message hasn’t gotten all the way through the trade…

[Ian_Sutton]

@Oliver McCrum

@Ian Sutton

Quite well known now, but Cantina del Pino seemed to be on a very fast upwards trajectory from only relatively recently making their own wine rather than selling grapes to the co-op (an awful description for P del B I know).

I think Cantina del Pino has been making wine for 15 years or more.

Hi Oliver
That sounds about right.
I certainly have some of their 1998 Barbaresco Ovello (another story that one, my best auction success) and there may have been a vintage or two before that. Their initial trajectory was impressive - from a standing start they really ‘hit their straps’. I’ve not tasted recently, so they may have levelled out.

regards
Ian

[Oliver_McCrum]

Vacca is a pretty safe name in Barbaresco.

[Gregory_Dal_Piaz]

@Oliver McCrum

I just saw a retail blast that described a Barbaresco as ‘blurple’ in color, intended positively; so I suppose the message hasn’t gotten all the way through the trade…

Sort of like throwing up a little in one’s mouth. That blurple there.

[Oliver_McCrum]

It’s been a while, but I bet you’re right.

[Ian_Sutton]

@Oliver McCrum

Vacca is a pretty safe name in Barbaresco.

Yes, though I often wonder if there was a difficult family meal when the announcement about the launch of Cantina del Pino was made

[Chae_Yi]

Will add Giamello as a producer. I have their 2006 Barbaresco Vincenziana, that on release seemed pretty good.

[Oliver_McCrum]

@Ian Sutton

@Oliver McCrum

Vacca is a pretty safe name in Barbaresco.

Yes, though I often wonder if there was a difficult family meal when the announcement about the launch of Cantina del Pino was made

Aldo once recommended I visit Renato, no bad blood there.