2000 Barbaresco Asili

"The '98s are elegantly styled but less concentrated and powerful than the '99s," says Alessandro Ceretto, who has put his stamp on these wines since taking over winemaking duties in '99. "Two thousand was a very warm, dry year, similar to '97 but a bit less hot. The wines are fresher than the '97s but they're not like the '96s. The tannins are ripe but the acids fell during the warm late summer weather. Two thousand one may be great; the wines are more concentrated than the 2000s and they're getting sweeter and sweeter in the barrel. We started with lower yields than in 2000 but better acidity; a cool second half of September gave longer hang time, allowing the ripeness of the skins to catch up with the sugars." Ceretto emphasized that the house does not like alcoholic wines. "Acidity and pH levels are more important than high grape sugars, as is getting mature tannins. Fully ripe tannins give rounder wines with more flavor and aromatic complexity." He pointed out that Ceretto is doing much more serious green harvesting today than previously. "In 2001 we had 40% less crop than we would have had under the same conditions five years ago."