Wine Enthusiast 96 Cellar Selection
Focused and full bodied, this has aromas of underbrush, eucalyptus, crushed botanical herb and wild rose. The chiseled palate delivers tension, structure and finesse, featuring cranberry, pomegranate, licorice and tobacco framed in tightly wound, fine-grained tannins. Youthfully nervous acidity gives it balance and an age-worthy structure.

Wine Advocate 96
A contained and elegant expression with sharp intensity and defined aromas. You get wild fruit, spice, balsam herb and crushed mineral, all pretty much in equal measure. The wine flexes its muscle, adding volume and weight with each swirl of the glass. It shows energy and fluid movements.

Vinous Media 91
Bold, rich and expansive on the palate, with striking depth and tons of textural resonance. The dark, spiced flavors are typical of Barbarescos from Neive. Creamy, silky and inviting, the Basarin offers tremendous near and medium term appeal.

Decanter 92
A stylish wine, it's fresh and fluid with refined tannins and no overt extraction, showing charm and lift on the long finish.

The Wine
100 Nebbiolo
From the Basarin cru in Neive
Vineyard sits atop a hillside that borders the zones of Neive and Treiso
South-west facing exposure
Fermentation with indigenous yeasts following an extended maceration on the skins for 40 days
Wine ages sur lie for 24 months in French barriques, of which 10-15 are new, with the remaining barrels having previously been used up to 4 times
Bottled unfined and unfiltered

The Estate
I cant say enough good things about the Sottimano family and the work they have done over the years to firmly establish themselves among Barbarescos top growers. Antonio Galloni

From top to bottom, this is an impressive set of wines from Sottimano, a property that continues its rapid ascent into the top echelon of the regions finest estates. Wine Advocate

Andrea Sottimano and his father Rino produce wines of outstanding quality from thirteen lovingly cared for hectares in the Cott, Curr, Fausoni, Pajor and Basarin crus in the Treiso and Neive townships. Their Barbarescos are elegant, evocative, subtle and yet hearty to taste these crus side-by-side is to reply with a resounding YES to skeptics of terroir that question whether differences of only 200 meters does matter!

The approach here is one of minimal intervention: indigenous yeasts, no fining or filtering. No insecticides are used and only organic fertilizers are used, and only minimally. Natural cover crops (grass cover) are left in the rows between the vines and are mowed 2 or 3 times a year. In autumn the soil of every other row between the vines is tilled. Each of their four cru Barbarescos are given the same treatment to allow the uniqueness of each cru to express itself. Fermentation is done in oak, of which about 30 is new, followed by 18-20 months in neutral barriques.

The Cott, always the most fruit-driven of the crus, comes from 25-year old vines and features notes of red and black fruits and refined nuances of mint.The Fausoni, from 40-year old vines, is the softest and most floral of the four, with trademark notes of mint and licorice and a firm core of vibrant acidity; elegant Curr is a big mouthful, extracted and built for the long term. The more traditional Pajor from the Treiso area is the epitome of elegant austerity, with striking balance and perfect ripeness.

2004 saw the first release of a Barbaresco Riserva, made from a selection of old vines in the Pajor and Cott vineyards. Dolcetto Bric del Salto and the dry, still Brachetto Mate are also stunners from Sottimano, as is the barrique-aged Barbera Pairolero and the Langhe Nebbiolo, made entirely from declassified Basarin fruit. To experience these truly singular wines is to understand why they are rare gems indeed.

Farming Practice:Practicing Organic