2000 Barbaresco Riserva Pora

Commercial director Aldo Vacca noted that the release of this superb co-operative's 1999 Barbaresco crus was well received by the market following the Produttori's decision not to offer any cru bottlings in 1998. Both the '99 and '01 crops here were small and relatively late, noted Vacca, who told me that both of these harvests took place largely during the second week of October. The '99s are dense wines with powerful fruit, said Vacca, while the '01s are more elegant and lead with their sweetness. Vintage 2000 saw a crop level of around three tons per acre, which he described as "a regular size. "Incidentally, this co-operative recently purchased 20 new 35-hectoliter and 10 new 25-hectoliter casks made from Allier oak, and the 1999 vintage was the first one to make some use of these barrels. But the Produttori continues to use its traditional larger casks (of 55 and 75 hectoliters) from Slavonian oak. The Produttori wines continue to be some of the best available bargains in Barbaresco. Although the U. S. is the co-op's most important export market, accounting for about 15% of total production, fully 55% of the wines are sold in Italy.