Barbaresco Nervo 2017

Of these new releases from Rizzi, the 2017 Barbaresco Nervo is my favorite. That carefully assembled combination of fruit, minerals and Nebbiolo spice (with licorice and aniseed) is what I look for in a Barbaresco. This was not the easiest growing season by any stretch. The vintage was plagued by very cold weather during the first part of the year, followed by scorching heat during the summer. However, the folks at Rizzi have managed to preserve the freshness and linearity of that delicate Nebbiolo fruit. I would recommend a medium-term drinking window in the case of this wine, of which a precious 3,800 bottles were produced.

Shiny, medium dense ruby. Opens on the nose with notes of pomegranate, cherry, and some anchovy. On the palate very good tension, fine-meshed tannin that increasingly picks up speed, juicy and clear on the finish.