1997 Barbaresco Riserva Pora

The Produttori del Barbaresco, which operates at its own deliberate pace, has just shipped its line-up of '97s to the U.S. (most of its neighbors in Barbaresco have already sent their '99s). The Produttori, according to commercial director Aldo Vacca, will offer just a single Barbaresco from the '98 vintage, eschewing its normal range of cru bottlings. "The '98 vintage was better than '95," Vacca explained. "We made the crus in '95, but that was because this vintage followed four bad years. Vintage '98 produced good, elegant wines with medium body, but quality was variable, with drier sites generally doing better. We felt that the blend was a better idea." Vacca described '99 as "like '96: tannic, tough, strong." I got an early look at a few of these wines, which will not be released until 2004. Vacca was reluctant to show the rest as he felt the vintage was in an awkward stage. "It's like a slightly out-of-focus picture," he told me. "It has artistic value but it doesn't have great clarity yet." Vias Imports, New York, NY)

Following a difficult patch during the early '90s (there were no vineyard designated wines between 1990 and 1995), this excellent co operative will offer a full range of cru bottlings in the '95, '96 and '97 vintages. In fact, the '95s will be bottled as riserva which means that they cannot legally be released until the year 2000. "Using the riserva designation forces you to wait," says export director Aldo Vacca, who obviously believes that the wine benefits from being held back before being put on the market. Nothing is done in a hurry here. The wines are traditionally made, although the Produttori recently began using the vertical stainless steel fermentation tanks that have become so popular in the region. The Barbarescos are aged in 35 to 100 hectoliter casks, though Vacca notes that in the future no casks larger than 50 hectoliters will be used. x000D x000D x000D According to Vacca, Barbaresco prices increased nearly 250% between 1990 and 1997; in fact, he notes, the official base price of Barbaresco caught up to Barolo with the '97 vintage. The Produttori pays a substantial premium to its member growers to ensure quality and supply. At today prices, notes Vacca, it is a financial sacrifice to bottle Barbaresco juice as Nebbiolo Langhe. In fact, the price of the Produttori 1997 nebbiolo had to be raised by 30%. Vacca describes the 1996 Barbarescos as full and round, better balanced than 1997, which is "more of a beast, a bit disjointed today due to the even riper fruit and higher alcohol levels." I tasted a selection of crus from the '95, '96 and '97 vintages.