2014 Montaribaldi Sori Barbaresco DOCG

Made from 100% Nebbiolo grapes, this exceptional wine competes with many of its more expensive Barolo counterparts. The vineyard, called "Sori" because of its south-facing slope, is located at an altitude of 270 meters in Barbaresco, surrounded by the famous vineyards of Gaja. This prime location, combined with the white soil of the Langa Hills, allows for the production of elegantly long-lived wines.

The Sori Barbaresco undergoes a meticulous vinification process: the grapes are destemmed and soaked on the skins for 14 days at varying temperatures to improve flavor extraction. The wine is then aged for two years in new oak barrels, followed by a year of bottle aging in the Montaribaldi cellars. This process results in a deep garnet red wine with orange reflections, full of scents of roses, violets, plums, tobacco, cocoa, cloves and black pepper. The palate is greeted with powerful, yet sweet and velvety tannins, providing balance, length and intensity.

To fully appreciate this wine, it is recommended to decant it two hours before serving. The Sori Barbaresco goes beautifully with red and roasted meats and savory, mature cheeses. With its rich history, exceptional terroir and meticulous craftsmanship, Montaribaldi's Sori Barbaresco is a must-have for any wine lover looking for elegance and depth in their glass.

BAROLO VS BARBERESCO

Piedmont - synonymous with truffles, risotto and, of course, delicious wines! - is considered one of the best wine regions in Italy. The local conditions of terrain, soil and weather create some fantastic wines. As far as red wines are concerned, the Barolos and Barbarescos are world-famous, powerful wines that keep well. Although Barolo and Barbaresco are made from the same grape, Nebbiolo, and produced in adjacent areas less than 10 miles apart, Barbaresco and Barolo wines have a number of distinctive differences.

The Barbaresco area is located south of the Tanaro River and the area, due to its location, has a slightly higher average temperature which allows the Nebbiolo grape to ripen here slightly earlier than in the Barolo area. Young tannins in a young Barbaresco are often not as hard as Barolo and under DOCG rules it is permitted to release Barbaresco for sale a year earlier than Barolo. The most pronounced difference between the two wines is that Barbaresco's tannins tend to soften more quickly, with the wine being more accessible at a younger age than Barolo. The Barbaresco area is smaller than the Barolo area with an annual production of approximately 35% of Barolo production, meaning that Barbaresco is not as widely available on the market.