Barbaresco Riserva, Cocito, Baluchin

Succulent black cherry, plum, tobacco, menthol and licorice build as this extroverted Barbaresco shows off its allure, which is considerable...

This Barbaresco Riserva is crafted from Nebbiolo grapes planted in the calcareous clay/sandy soil of the miniscule Bric Micca Cru, the highest point (1,200-1,300 feet above sea level) of the Baluchin vineyard in Neive. Baluchin means “star” in the Piedmontese dialect, and refers to the vineyard’s ideal position for star gazing on clear night. This is an extremely precise and focused expression of Nebbiolo, with razor sharp, elegant aromas of blue violets, flint and ash. The high altitude, and thus cooler temperatures, of the vineyard result in a particularly pretty and graceful wine that opens quite beautifully at even a young age. A close friend of Giorgio Rivetti, vitner Ezio Cocito vinifies his Baluchin at La Spinetta’s cellar in Castagnole Lanze.