Produttori del Barbaresco
The legendary Produttori del Barbaresco is arguably one of the best winemaking co-operatives in the world. It was founded back in 1958 and now represents a group of 51 growers with a combined total of 100 ha of vineyards. Produttori del Barbaresco under the helm of Aldo Vacca has gone from strength to strength.
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(1x150cl) 2015Wine Advocate (96)
The Produttori del Barbaresco 2015 Barbaresco Riserva Ovello has a very distinct character that is expressed in terms of its fine but present tannic structure and its somewhat fragile primary fruit. The Ovello dives straight into those ephemeral Nebbiolo aromas with an emphasis on licorice, tar, blue flower and campfire ash. If you consider this timeline of Riservas, this wine brings us through that magic threshold in which Nebbiolo starts to show its unique aromatic appeal and mystique. This is always one of my favorites in this series of nine. Production is 18,741 bottles.$125.00 -
Wine Advocate (96)
The Produttori del Barbaresco 2015 Barbaresco Riserva Ovello has a very distinct character that is expressed in terms of its fine but present tannic structure and its somewhat fragile primary fruit. The Ovello dives straight into those ephemeral Nebbiolo aromas with an emphasis on licorice, tar, blue flower and campfire ash. If you consider this timeline of Riservas, this wine brings us through that magic threshold in which Nebbiolo starts to show its unique aromatic appeal and mystique. This is always one of my favorites in this series of nine. Production is 18,741 bottles.$674.00 -
Wine Advocate (96)
The Produttori del Barbaresco 2015 Barbaresco Riserva Ovello has a very distinct character that is expressed in terms of its fine but present tannic structure and its somewhat fragile primary fruit. The Ovello dives straight into those ephemeral Nebbiolo aromas with an emphasis on licorice, tar, blue flower and campfire ash. If you consider this timeline of Riservas, this wine brings us through that magic threshold in which Nebbiolo starts to show its unique aromatic appeal and mystique. This is always one of my favorites in this series of nine. Production is 18,741 bottles.$695.00 -
Vinous (97+)
The 2016 Barbaresco Riserva Ovello is the most severe and angular of these wines. It will appeal most to die-hard classicists. Chalk, white pepper, mint and sweet red cherry fruit all grace this chiseled, beautifully translucent Barbaresco. As always, the Ovello needs a number of years in bottle to reveal its charms, which in 2016 are many. It is a positively stellar wine in every way.$162.00 -
Vinous (97+)
The 2016 Barbaresco Riserva Ovello is the most severe and angular of these wines. It will appeal most to die-hard classicists. Chalk, white pepper, mint and sweet red cherry fruit all grace this chiseled, beautifully translucent Barbaresco. As always, the Ovello needs a number of years in bottle to reveal its charms, which in 2016 are many. It is a positively stellar wine in every way.$698.00 -
(6x150cl) 2016Vinous (97+)
The 2016 Barbaresco Riserva Ovello is the most severe and angular of these wines. It will appeal most to die-hard classicists. Chalk, white pepper, mint and sweet red cherry fruit all grace this chiseled, beautifully translucent Barbaresco. As always, the Ovello needs a number of years in bottle to reveal its charms, which in 2016 are many. It is a positively stellar wine in every way.$1,050.00 -
Vinous (97+)
The 2016 Barbaresco Riserva Ovello is the most severe and angular of these wines. It will appeal most to die-hard classicists. Chalk, white pepper, mint and sweet red cherry fruit all grace this chiseled, beautifully translucent Barbaresco. As always, the Ovello needs a number of years in bottle to reveal its charms, which in 2016 are many. It is a positively stellar wine in every way.$532.00 -
Vinous (94)
The 2017 Barbaresco Riserva Ovello is a heady, explosive wine. I don't think I have ever tasted an Ovello from the Produttori with this much heft. The strong mineral and saline accents typical of this site are present, but they are matched pound for pound by notable mid-palate richness and intensity in its fruit. The 2017 is a brooding powerhouse that needs time to unwind.$191.00 -
Vinous (94)
The 2017 Barbaresco Riserva Ovello is a heady, explosive wine. I don't think I have ever tasted an Ovello from the Produttori with this much heft. The strong mineral and saline accents typical of this site are present, but they are matched pound for pound by notable mid-palate richness and intensity in its fruit. The 2017 is a brooding powerhouse that needs time to unwind.$94.00 -
Vinous (94)
The 2017 Barbaresco Riserva Ovello is a heady, explosive wine. I don't think I have ever tasted an Ovello from the Produttori with this much heft. The strong mineral and saline accents typical of this site are present, but they are matched pound for pound by notable mid-palate richness and intensity in its fruit. The 2017 is a brooding powerhouse that needs time to unwind.$354.00 -
Vinous (94)
The 2017 Barbaresco Riserva Ovello is a heady, explosive wine. I don't think I have ever tasted an Ovello from the Produttori with this much heft. The strong mineral and saline accents typical of this site are present, but they are matched pound for pound by notable mid-palate richness and intensity in its fruit. The 2017 is a brooding powerhouse that needs time to unwind.$380.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (95)
The 2019 Barbaresco Riserva Ovello displays a similar youthful red color but is riper and more seductive in its floral perfume of violets, black raspberries, tea leaf, and sweet herbs. It is broader and rounder on the palate, with ripe tannins, a bit more of an expansive feel, and a touch of warmth on the finish. It’s going to drink well over the next 15-20 years.$167.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (95)
The 2019 Barbaresco Riserva Ovello displays a similar youthful red color but is riper and more seductive in its floral perfume of violets, black raspberries, tea leaf, and sweet herbs. It is broader and rounder on the palate, with ripe tannins, a bit more of an expansive feel, and a touch of warmth on the finish. It’s going to drink well over the next 15-20 years.$468.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (95)
The 2019 Barbaresco Riserva Ovello displays a similar youthful red color but is riper and more seductive in its floral perfume of violets, black raspberries, tea leaf, and sweet herbs. It is broader and rounder on the palate, with ripe tannins, a bit more of an expansive feel, and a touch of warmth on the finish. It’s going to drink well over the next 15-20 years.$389.00 -
Wine Advocate (95)
The Ovello vineyard has some northern exposures and generally represents a cooler growing site. You can expect intense fruit flavors and more prominent tannins as a result. The Produttori del Barbaresco 2020 Barbaresco Riserva Ovello fits the bill. Vine growth starts much later and usually lasts longer to produce dark intensity and bold aromas in the wines. In the cold years, the tannins can be aggressive, but in the hot years like 2020, they show better balance. This wine offers ferrous notes of iron and rusty nail followed by cherry-driven sweetness.$145.00 -
(6x75cl) 2016Vinous (96)
The 2016 Barbaresco Pajè opens with deeply pitched spice notes that are so alluring. Pliant and beautifully layered in the glass, the 2016 possesses tremendous density and brawn. Blue/purplish fruit, cloves, lavender and menthol infuse this rich, hedonistic Barbaresco with tons of character. The tannins are present, but they are nearly buried by the sheer density of the fruit. In a word: impressive.$621.00 -
Wine Advocate (94)
The 2019 Barbaresco Riserva Pajè reveals a medium-dark appearance with purple and redcurrants, heritage rose and spicy cardamom. A pretty note of iron ore or metallic mineral is folded within. Pajè brings us an accessible profile with silky, resolved tannins.$389.00 -
Wine Advocate (93)
The Pajè vineyard faces the Tanaro River and is tucked at back of a narrow theater of vines. The site is often characterized by a floral note of rose and violet that comes thought nicely in the Produttori del Barbaresco 2020 Barbaresco Riserva Pajè. With those sweet floral notes comes an open-knit mouthfeel and a more immediate drinking style with soft, silky tannins. In fact, this was the second of nine wines served in a flight that started with the lightest Riservas and ended with the most powerful wines.$372.00 -
(6x75cl) 2005Vinous (90+)
Bright red. Fresh, mineral-tinged red fruits and menthol make for a vibrant nose. Sweet, silky and deep, displaying more density and stuffing today than the 2004. Finishes broad and long, with very good acid lift.$545.00 -
(1x75cl) 2009Wine Advocate (92)
To my palate, the 2009 Barbaresco Riserva Pora is the most reflective of the warm vintage. It delivers an open, immediate style with dark fruit and spice aromas that are both ample and broad. The Riserva Pora shows hearty fruit fullness with round structure and fleshy intensity. The wine is layered and deep. These results suggest that this wine is appropriate for near term consumption, but also long term cellar aging. It is in a special position to offer either alternative although I am curious to know where its evolution will take it ten years from now.$107.00 -
Wine Spectator (95)
A rich, cherry- and floral-scented red, effusive in aroma, with the core of cherry prevailing on the palate. Though fleshy, this gives way to firm tannins that line the lingering aftertaste. Inviting and full of energy, so decant now or wait.$872.00 -
(1x75cl) 2013Wine Spectator (95)
A rich, cherry- and floral-scented red, effusive in aroma, with the core of cherry prevailing on the palate. Though fleshy, this gives way to firm tannins that line the lingering aftertaste. Inviting and full of energy, so decant now or wait.$175.00 -
Wine Spectator (95)
A rich, cherry- and floral-scented red, effusive in aroma, with the core of cherry prevailing on the palate. Though fleshy, this gives way to firm tannins that line the lingering aftertaste. Inviting and full of energy, so decant now or wait.$479.00 -
Wine Advocate (94)
I had tasted this vintage last year as a barrel sample. Now a fully complete wine, the 2014 Barbaresco Riserva Pora did not disappoint, and even jumped up a few points. The Riserva Pora opens to dark fruit intensity with a slightly more accessible quality. Those lovely floral tones of lavender and violet are ever present. After having spent three years in oak and another year in the bottle, this wine offers a looser mouthfeel in terms of tannic structure, making it a bit more open and immediate in personality. You could uncork this bottle in 2020 if you just can't wait, but ideally, it is meant for the longer haul.$645.00 -
Wine Advocate (94)
Following the suggestion of Produttori del Barbaresco General Manager Renato Vacca, I am starting off this series of nine Riservas with the 2015 Barbaresco Riserva Pora. This wine is usually the most delicate, slender and ephemeral of this set. However, I can immediately confirm that this is not necessarily the case with this exuberant 2015 vintage. The sunny heat of the growing season has successfully drawn out more fruit weight and intensity in this edition of Pora. The wine overdelivers in terms of aromas, but its streamlined and polished personality follows through to the palate. Those divergent intensity levels will smooth out with more bottle age. Some 16,666 bottles were released.$401.00 -
Vinous (95)
The 2016 Barbaresco Riserva Pora is a brooding wine, its mid-weight structure notwithstanding. Iron, smoke, tobacco, cedar and dried flowers add a feral, earthy quality that is so appealing. Pora is often one of the more approachable Riservas in this range, but the 2016 is an exception. Readers should be prepared to cellar it for at least a few years.$453.00 -
Vinous (93)
The 2017 Barbaresco Riserva Pora is rich, creamy and layered, with a bit more generosity than is typically the case. Sweet red cherry, red plum, spice and rose petal are amplified in a radiant, open-knit Barbaresco that will start drinking well in a few years' time.$94.00 -
Vinous (93)
The 2017 Barbaresco Riserva Pora is rich, creamy and layered, with a bit more generosity than is typically the case. Sweet red cherry, red plum, spice and rose petal are amplified in a radiant, open-knit Barbaresco that will start drinking well in a few years' time.$499.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (95)
Deep red in color, the 2019 Barbaresco Riserva Pora has a stunningly layered and pure nose and a distilled feel, with aromas of raspberry liqueur, fresh lavender, wet stone, sweet earth, and fresh sage. It offers wonderful energy on the palate, with ripe, velvety tannins, and even though it’s medium-bodied, it’s not lacking for depth, revealing notes of tea leaf and bergamot on its long finish. It’s going to be an age-worthy wine to drink 2026-2046.$389.00 -
Wine Advocate (93)
This is the first wine served in a flight of nine that increase in intensity and power moving forward. The Produttori del Barbaresco 2020 Barbaresco Riserva Pora opens to a medium-light color with garnet highlights. Aromas include wild cherry, cassis and blue flower. You also get hints of crushed limestone. The Pora vineyard is near the Tanaro River Valley, where warm air accumulates, and the vines are planted in fertile soils. The extra heat and humidity of the area makes for accessible wines that are ready to drink and are less complex overall.$332.00

