Vietti Barbaresco Roncaglie 2021

There’s something wonderfully old-school about great Barbaresco, and this has all the good bits. Made entirely from Nebbiolo grown in the highly regarded Roncaglie vineyard, it’s powerful and structured without losing that classic Barbaresco elegance. Ripe raspberry and blackberry sit alongside lifted floral notes and a lovely savoury edge. The palate is fresh and beautifully composed, with silky, mature tannins rather than anything overly aggressive. Around three weeks of skin contact gives it plenty of depth and structure before a long spell ageing in large oak barrels. That oak sits quietly in the background, letting the fruit and terroir do most of the talking. There’s a distinctive almond note through the finish that makes you immediately want to go back for another look. Refined, layered Nebbiolo with plenty going on now and serious potential for the cellar.