2018 Barbaresco Sorì Paitin

For many years Secondo Pasquero-Elia was a constant during my visits at Paitin. The family patriarch was a quiet man. He usually said no more than a few words, but they were sincere words, words of a man whose weathered lines and deep eyes were those of someone who had lived through many ups and downs. Pasquero-Elia valiantly took over the family estate in 1948 at age twenty as Italy was re-emerging following World War II. At that point, the family had lost most of their land and times were very rough, to say the least. Along with his wife, Maria-Luisa, Secondo Pasquero-Elia began restoring the estate, starting with the vineyards.

Fast forward to today. Paitin is run by children Silvano and Giovanni and nephew Luca, the latest member of the family to join. The 2018s are undeniably attractive wines that show the mid-weight structure of the vintage. Readers will note the addition of a new wine from Basarin, made from a parcel Paitin purchased together with Sottimano and then divided. Lastly, there will be no Vigne Vecchie in 2018, all the best fruit went into the Sorì Paitin Barbaresco.