Barbaresco Masseria 2013 OWC6

The 2013 Barbaresco Masseria is being released a bit earlier this year, but this is only relative because Vietti ages the wine one year longer than his peers. It sees a 30-day maceration period with submerged cap techniques. The fruit is also harvested a bit sweeter and softer on the vine. These methods account for the truly velvety and rich texture that characterize this beautifully opulent Barbaresco. It wraps thickly over the palate with dark fruit and spice flavors. On the Nebbiolo scale, this wine drinks more like a Barolo than a Barbaresco.

The 2013 Barbaresco Masseria is fabulous. Large-scaled, ample and super-expressive, the 2013 possesses striking depth and intensity, while retaining tons of Nebbiolo nuance and translucence. Bright red cherry, cranberry, chalk and floral notes give the 2013 its aromatic intensity and lift. The flavors turn a bit darker and richer with time in the glass as the wine fills out its broad frame. Once again, Vietti's Barbaresco punches well above its weight. The Masseria emerges from a vineyard in Bricco di Neive and is essentially vinified and aged like a Barolo. In recent years, the Vietti single-vineyard wines have inched up in price. While none of the wines can be defined as a value, the Masseria offers exceptional quality for the money. Simply put, the 2013 Masseria is a total knock-out. Don't miss it!