2016 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco
Community Tasting Note
randyjc wrote:
Friday, June 24, 2022 - This wine remains a standout. Bright cherry, vivid acidity, fine-grained tannin. Could be mistaken for a ten year old Barolo. Best normale I’ve ever had - only the 2008 comes close. And the 2017 after that. My first thought each time I try this wine is that the hype is well-deserved. My only useful observation is that the wine on opening is more lively and enticing than it is 4 hours later.
ADDENDUM 24 hours later: The wine is a puzzle - tonight it’s deeper and more elegant, having moved away from its initial vivacity. If 24 hours is the same as a couple years in the bottle, then this wine has a fabulous future. I’m just glad I have a case and a half more of these to follow. I counsel against letting them go too long but 2 - 5 years from summer 2022 seems optimum. Though, last night was pretty damn optimum too.
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5 comments have been posted
17 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue (14,778 views)
Comment posted by Hendmo:
6/24/2022 10:14:00 PM - Thanks for the useful note - since you seem quite familiar with this particular wine, any guidance you have on drinking window would be great! Is it better to wait or drink these young in your view?
Comment posted by randyjc:
6/25/2022 5:49:00 PM - Really good question. The wine is so vivacious and compelling right now that it’s hard to pass over it. In fact, my experience written up in the note is that it was better immediately upon opening than a few hours later. But I am puzzled about what the wine will be at, say, ten and fifteen years old. I don’t think I’m going to wait. I’ve bought a fair number of the 2016 Riservas and those I’ll let rest. My 2016 normale I think I’ll just drink through over the course of the next 2 - 4 years. If something begins to show that convinces me I should wait longer I will, but the wine is so damn good now I just think it should be enjoyed. Chasing “peak” is often a fool’s game. If it’s good, it’s good.
Comment posted by Hendmo:
6/26/2022 1:16:00 AM - Thanks Randy - very useful. I enjoy a properly aged wine as much as the next person, but also agree that drinking wines when fresh and full of energy is sometimes overlooked!
Comment posted by ajb123:
11/13/2022 8:50:00 AM - I purchased a 3L bottle of this. Any thoughts on drinking window? Thank you!
Comment posted by randyjc:
11/14/2022 1:43:00 PM - I'm afraid I won't be of much help. My understanding of conventional wisdom is that larger bottles age or mature more slowly. I have seen that with magnums where I have had bottles side by side - 750 and 1.5 - same wine and try to figure out which one came from mag and which from 750. I have no comparative information on a 3L. If I were fortunate enough to have a 3L bottle of this wine I would likely wait to age ten or so, find a special occasion with lots of friends and some good high-acid food and drink it and enjoy it. I love this '16 young and I love it on days two and three when it has deepened and calmed. I think I'm going to err on the side of drinking them younger but I think they're going to be wonderful long past the likelihood of me being around to enmjoy them. So - having re-read this carefully, my first prediction that I would be of little help is proving true.