2016 Barbaresco, Currá, Sottimano, Piedmont, Italy

Neive. Tasted blind. Mid to deep developing ruby with narrow orange rim. Firm nose of ripe fruit spiked with sweet baking spices. Compact sour-cherry fruit palate with bags of crunchy tannins. Succulent and with a tannic bite on the finish. Quite gorgeous.

Drink 2021 - 2032

The 2016 Barbaresco Currá is energetic and tense, but it also shows a bit more oak influence than the other Barbarescos in the range. That should not be a huge issue, as the Currà is always slow to mature. Floral and spiced notes bring added lift as this detailed, finely sculpted Barbaresco opens up. Constantly changing in the glass, the Currà captures all the mystique and intrigue that are such essential attributes of top-notch, fine Nebbiolo. I loved it.

Drink 2022 - 2035

The 2016 Barbaresco Curra is ripe with brushed leather, sun-baked red plum, menthol, and cedar. The palate has a balanced structure, with ripe cherry, black truffle, and dried orange, and a firm tannic grip on the finish. Drink 2023-2038.

Sottimano is located in Barbaresco, with holdings in the five crus of Basarin, Curra, Fausoni, Cotta, and Pajore. The estate was founded in the late 1960s by RIno Sottimano and is today led by the entire family, Andrea, Elena, and Claudia. They do not use any herbicides or pesticides in the vineyard, and they only use minimal sulfur additions at bottling. Fermentation is carried out in wood, of which approximately 30% is new, and ageing is in neutral barriques for 18-20 months.

Drink 2023 - 2038

Showing darker and slightly more saturated fruit, the Sottimano 2016 Barbaresco Currá is a more robust and amply endowed wine compared to the other single-vineyard expressions in this portfolio. Drawing its fruit from the village of Neive, the Currá offers ripe berry and redcurrant with softer tones of spice and tilled earth. The wine's concentration and richness are an absolute pleasure, and you could direct this bottle to a heavier roasted meat dish when the time is right. Fruit is drawn from a 1.5-hectare plot in Neive.

Drink 2024 - 2045