2020 Barbaresco

There’s a lot to explore in these new releases from Produttori del Barbaresco. The 2019 Riservas show a good amount of vineyard definition, but they are also marked by a strong, somber, brooding quality. “Weather was up and down during the last phase of ripening,” Managing Director Aldo Vacca explained. “We had one good week of weather, but then conditions would deteriorate before improving again. This required us to be especially selective, so production for the crus is down about 20%.” In vintages like 2019 that are hard to read, I typically revisit the Riservas once they have had more time in bottle, which I expect to do this year. I imagine the 2019s will require a measure of patience. In the meantime, the 2020 Barbaresco will give readers a very good idea of the style of that year.