The junior of Fontanabianca's three Barbarescos. As such, it makes up for its slightly lesser concentration and complexity with a highly approachable style. With a ruby core and orange rim, aromas of nutmeg, clove, licorice, and orange peel, on the palate powerful and concentrated with a little viscosity yet with ripe fruit notes of strawberry and blackberry and supple tannin that has an agreeable raspiness, excellent length and bags of charm, combining concentration with a Pinot Noir-like elegance. From thirty year-old vines on clay-limestones soils, vinified in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks and aged in botte (big barrels of anything between 1,000 and 10,000 litres) and barriques for 12-15 months.
“ ... although this is not a single-vineyard expression, the wine shows a ton of territorial and varietal authenticity nonetheless. You get sharp and pinpoint aromas of purple fruits with lifted tones of licorice, earth and pressed blue flower. The mouthfeel is silky and taut.” (Monica Larner, The Wine Advocate, 94 points)
