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2010 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco
Whenever you discuss Produttori del Barbaresco, it's impossible not to discuss value.
However, there are times when the value hits a ridiculous level.
2010 is one of them. To cut to the chase, this is a don't miss value.
With Produttori's 2010 Barbaresco, there are two things in play:
1) There's the beautifully classic and by all indications great 2010 vintage.
2) In 2010, Produttori didn't release any of its single crus (meaning the first-rate juice went into the Barbaresco.)
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The overachieving level that Produttori's basic Barbaresco delivers is no secret. It's the first thing that's mentioned when you discuss value in Barbaresco and Barolo. And the 2010 is one of the most shocking examples of this.
Even though Produttori's Barbaresco is well known for its value, we think that the wine demands even more respect than it receives. All too often it's reduced to the value it offers. To that, we need to emphasize just how impressively this ages - in vintages like 2010, 20 years is no problem.
For many, including us, Produttori's Barbaresco remains one of the great secrets for long-term aging value. Where else can you find a bottle with a proven track record in the cellar, from a famed region and one of the area's top producers for $30? This is a profound value.
Produttori is one of the great producers of traditional Nebbiolo. They hold some of the best sites in the region: Rabaja, Asili, Montestefano, Rio Sordo, etc. The deal is that if any one of these crus aren't up to muster in a particular vintage, none of the crus are released. When it comes to their single cru reservas, it's all or nothing. In years like 2010 when there aren't any reservas, these top crus make up 60% of the basic Barbaresco.
As I'm sure has become clear, this is an anything-but-basic "basic" bottling. Produttori treats the wine in a deadly serious fashion. It spends 3-5 weeks macerating on its skin and then, ages in traditional large botti. It should be no surprise that this ages so well.
The mounting excitement over the 2010 Piedmont vintage is very much justified. This is a break-out vintage for the area. The wines are so beautifully pure, balanced and fine. Produttori's 2010 Barbaresco dramatizes the finesse, clarity and classicism of the vintage.
When this parcel became available, we jumped all over it. We have to repeat that this is a don't miss. Wines this impressive should be celebrated and tucked away in the cellar in quantity. We created special 6-pack pricing to try to make the best pricing accessible to a good amount of people, but our advice is to take cases of this.
To order, reply to offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Ian McFadden
Director, Fine & Rare Wine
Crush Wine & Spirits