Barbaresco Pajorè 2020

The nose is sleek with sweet violet, cinnamon, redcurrant and balsam. The attack is firm, extracted and with a full-on mid-palate, then a savoury finish which is elegant and displays refreshing acidity, and a restrained, chocolate aftertaste. A graceful yet powerful Barbaresco for the long haul but also to drink now. Classic handling in the winery, with fermentation at a maximum of 30°C and ageing in big Slavonian oak vessels for 12 months.

The Rizzi 2020 Barbaresco Pajorè shows lots of varietal character within the context of a vintage that was definitely on the warm and sunny side of the weather spectrum. The fruit is a little plumper and softer as a result, yet you still get that thin and elegant framing that is typical of Nebbiolo. The wine's flavor profile offers redcurrant, violet and licorice root. Pajorè in Treiso also has a pronounced mineral element. Winemaking is the same across most of these wines, with fermentation in stainless steel and 12 months of aging in Slavonian oak casks, followed by eight months in cement and another 10 months in bottle. Monica Larner