BARBARESCO
2016 Curra' Sottimano
Menthol, ripe dark-skinned fruit and star anise aromas mingle with espresso on this linear, full-bodied red. The palate is structured and still youthfully austere, featuring Marasca cherry, pomegranate, licorice and French oak sensations. Assertive, close grained tannins provide firm support. Give it time to fully develop. Drink 2026–2036. Drinking range: 2026 - 2036 Rating: 94 Kerin O'Keefe, kerinokeefe.com (Sept 2023)
75cl bottles (case of 6)
* This is a pre-shipment/primeur offer. All orders are accepted under the TERMS of this offer which differ from the terms of the rest of the site.
The 2016 Barbaresco Currà is a dense, explosive wine endowed with huge mid-palate density and potent tannins to match. Wild cherry, tobacco, cinnamon, dried rose petal and spice emerge with a bit of coaxing. The 2016 is a powerful wine, but it is not exactly refined. Ultimately, it comes across as a bit monolithic, especially when tasted next to the 2018s. Drinking range: 2022 - 2031 Rating: 93 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Feb 2022)
Menthol, ripe dark-skinned fruit and star anise aromas mingle with espresso on this linear, full-bodied red. The palate is structured and still youthfully austere, featuring Marasca cherry, pomegranate, licorice and French oak sensations. Assertive, close-grained tannins provide firm support. Give it time to fully develop. Drinking range: 2026 - 2036 Rating: 94 The Wine Enthusiast www.winemag.com (Dec 2021)
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. Drinking range: 2024 - 2045 Rating: 96+ Monica Larner, The Wine Advocate (www.robertparker.com) (Jun 2021)
Sottimano
The next generation of Andrea, Elena and Claudia Sottimano are now at the helm here and this exquisite estate continues to make better and better wines - some of the finest in Barbaresco. This sixteen hectare estate is based in the Cotta' region of Barbaresco, and the Sottimano family have over the years bought outstanding vineyards in the 'crus' of Currà, Cottà, Fausoni, Pajore and Basarin. In the vineyard they work organically and aim to limit yields. The winemaking is as low-intervention as possible, using only natural yeasts and then bottling without filtering or fining. All of these 'crus' are given exactly the same élevage, so as to allow the individual 'terroirs' to express their character. Terroir expression is the target here - and these amazing wines are as much an education as a joy to drink.
There are five different crus - each with very specific attributes where they produce their distinctly different Barbarescos. The latest edition is Basarin, with a mixture of clay, limestone and sand, is at about four hundred metres above sea level. This produces the estate's Langhe Nebbiolo, which is basically 'village Barbaresco', as the vines are very young (10-15 years old). It makes for wines that are always very elegant, refined, tannins are silky and softer, nuanced of spices and herbs (eucalyptus).
Fausoni, on sand and clay, makes wines that are always very elegant - mint, liquorice and little red fruits. This is in the historical part of Neive.
Currà, on clay and limestone, is one of the smallest cru of the whole appellation, wines are always very intense and powerful, hard-bodied and with good tannins. Hints of spices and smoke are characteristics of this area.
Cottà, on limestone with clay is one of the oldest cru in Barbaresco, vines are always very old here (fifty years and older) and the colours are just a little bit lighter than other vineyards (because of the clay), but they have a very distinctive nose of dark fruits and mint, a great elegance and mineral tannins.
Pajore is almost entirely on limestone with just a little clay. This is the highest vineyard of all, at 420 metres above sea level. The vines are very old, and it is always the most mineral and elegant of the four Barbarescos. Limestone brings into the wine a great purity of fruit, a distinctive aroma of spices and tobacco (cigar box) and a very unusual quality of tannins, firm but very mineral.
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Wines bought in bond are scheduled to arrive at our DP (Duty Paid) warehouse a few weeks after the campaign closes. If you do not wish to take home delivery, Lea & Sandeman offers duty paid and in bond storage through a dedicated storage company called Elephant Storage. For more details on the terms and fees associated with storage please go to our Storage Homepage or contact our private clients team for more information.
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PIEDMONT LATEST RELEASES FAQ
OFFER: All wines are offered subject to availability and final confirmation.
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