2010 Barbaresco Sorì Paitin

I am just as excited about Paitin's new releases as I was last year. The devil is in the details, and nowhere is that more apparent than at this venerable, family-run estate in the Bricco di Neive frazione of Neive proper. Consulting oenologist Dante Scaglione's contributions have been really more fine-tuning, yet it is remarkable to see how much those small changes can impact quality. A little more attention to sorting and greater attention in choosing oak and casks are just some of the developments that have taken place here over the last few years. Today the casks are switched out with greater frequency, with newer casks being used for the top wines and older, more neutral oak being employed for the simpler wines in the range. The 2010s have turned out as I had expected, but the 2011s are also hugely promising. Giovanni and Silvano Pasquero Elia told me 2011 looked a lot like 2009 right after the fermentations, but has since taken a completely different path. Tasting the 2011s, they seem sweet, polished and absolutely impeccable, partly because the estate is taking more care in how seeds are removed during the fermentations. These are going to be joyous wines to follow.

I am just as excited about Paitin's new releases as I was last year. The devil is in the details, and nowhere is that more apparent than at this venerable, family-run estate in the Bricco di Neive frazione of Neive proper. Consulting oenologist Dante Scaglione's contributions have been really more fine-tuning, yet it is remarkable to see how much those small changes can impact quality. A little more attention to sorting and greater attention in choosing oak and casks are just some of the developments that have taken place here over the last few years. Today the casks are switched out with greater frequency, with newer casks being used for the top wines and older, more neutral oak being employed for the simpler wines in the range. The 2010s have turned out as I had expected, but the 2011s are also hugely promising. Giovanni and Silvano Pasquero Elia told me 2011 looked a lot like 2009 right after the fermentations, but has since taken a completely different path. Tasting the 2011s, they seem sweet, polished and absolutely impeccable, partly because the estate is taking more care in how seeds are removed during the fermentations. These are going to be joyous wines to follow.

The Pasquero-Elia family has been producing wine for several centuries, making this small estate one of the historic properties of Piemonte. The wines have received critical acclaim for decades. Brothers Giovanni and Silvano Pasquero-Elia could easily have rested on their laurels. But they knew they could do even better. In the spring of 2010, the Pasquero-Elia brothers enlisted the services of consulting oenologist Dante Scaglione, who spent 16 years alongside Bruno Giacosa. Scaglione is a former classmate of Giovanni's from the days when they attended the oenological school in Alba together. The Pasquero-Elia family has superb vineyards and already knew how to craft delicious wines, but the continued search for excellence and the willingness to invest in the future is what separates the true greats from the merely good and excellent producers. Suffice it to say, the results over the last two years have been striking. Scaglione is a consultant in the true sense of the word. He gives advice and suggestions, but does not impose anything. Scaglione has brought with him a number of views on more careful treatment of the fruit post-harvest, clear ideas on how to best press Nebbiolo and a greater focus on hygiene. The rotary fermenters are on their way out, traditional submerged cap fermentations have increased, and the use of larger casks (replaced more frequently than in the past) are now pretty much the norm. Paitin tends to bottle a little later than most, so it will be some time before the results of the new team are evident to readers. The 2010 Barbareschi, which I tasted from from barrel, hold immense promise. The Pasquero-Elia family has made fabulous wines for years, but now they are in a position to challenge for one of the very top spots in Barbaresco. Personally, I couldn't be happier for them, because they have made all the right choices and are therefore richly deserving of the success that now appears to be coming their way. Paitin bottles three Barbareschi from the estate's vineyards, all of which are in the Serraboella district in Neive. The Serra is made from the youngest vines on the property, typically under 20 years of age. The Sorì Paitin is made from 40 year-old vines, most of which are planted with massale selection of the estate's best clones, while the Vecchie Vigne is, of course, an old-vines bottling.

The Pasquero-Elia family has been producing wine for several centuries, making this small estate one of the historic properties of Piemonte. The wines have received critical acclaim for decades. Brothers Giovanni and Silvano Pasquero-Elia could easily have rested on their laurels. But they knew they could do even better. In the spring of 2010, the Pasquero-Elia brothers enlisted the services of consulting oenologist Dante Scaglione, who spent 16 years alongside Bruno Giacosa. Scaglione is a former classmate of Giovanni's from the days when they attended the oenological school in Alba together. The Pasquero-Elia family has superb vineyards and already knew how to craft delicious wines, but the continued search for excellence and the willingness to invest in the future is what separates the true greats from the merely good and excellent producers. Suffice it to say, the results over the last two years have been striking. Scaglione is a consultant in the true sense of the word. He gives advice and suggestions, but does not impose anything. Scaglione has brought with him a number of views on more careful treatment of the fruit post-harvest, clear ideas on how to best press Nebbiolo and a greater focus on hygiene. The rotary fermenters are on their way out, traditional submerged cap fermentations have increased, and the use of larger casks (replaced more frequently than in the past) are now pretty much the norm. Paitin tends to bottle a little later than most, so it will be some time before the results of the new team are evident to readers. The 2010 Barbareschi, which I tasted from from barrel, hold immense promise. The Pasquero-Elia family has made fabulous wines for years, but now they are in a position to challenge for one of the very top spots in Barbaresco. Personally, I couldn't be happier for them, because they have made all the right choices and are therefore richly deserving of the success that now appears to be coming their way. Paitin bottles three Barbareschi from the estate's vineyards, all of which are in the Serraboella district in Neive. The Serra is made from the youngest vines on the property, typically under 20 years of age. The Sorì Paitin is made from 40 year-old vines, most of which are planted with massale selection of the estate's best clones, while the Vecchie Vigne is, of course, an old-vines bottling.