Operative’s Choice:
Top International Selection

SUPERIOR WINE ALERT:

Today’s exclusive and very limited production wine is a superb example of the power and elegance of Italy’s Barbaresco. This wine is a must have addition to your cellar and will be drinking wonderfully for the next decade and beyond.

SECRET SAVINGS ALERT:

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Mission Codename: Top International Selection

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Secure an exceptional wine in honor of our Third Annual Wine Intigue Awards

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Cascina Bruciata

Wine Subject: 2004 Barbaresco Rio Sordo Riserva DOCG

Winemaker: Francesco Baravalle

Backgrounder:

The wines of the Barbaresco DOCG are made from 100% Nebbiolo grapes. Nebbiolo, native to the Piedmont in north-west Italy and cultivated in the region since the 13th century is generally a softer more elegant wine than its heavier brethren Barolo. The late ripening Nebbiolo is known to be highly influenced by various soil and vineyard conditions, with the wines from the best vineyard sites having sublime character.

The Nebbiolo grapes in this wine, considered the greatest of all Italian grapes, must be aged for a minimum of two years, of which one year must be oak or chestnut barrels. Barbaresco has exceptional aging qualities with the best wines having 40+ years of potential. Both Barbaresco and Barolo are considered to be among the finest wines in Italy.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Deep and dense ruby red with a clear bright ruby core. Along the edges, the color shows its barrel aging with a well developed rich ‘patina’ of brick/pink/ruby. When swirled, slow fat legs hang before descending to the wine below.

Smell – Medium bold in intensity with classic aromas of spiced black cherry, toasted spiced oak, a touch of black licorice, complex herbal notes and a hint of rose petal perfume.

Feel – Bright and tangy on the initial attack with highly textured etched tannins. Give this full-bodied wine time to open, however, and you’ll be greeted with a smooth and dry experience that is 100% pure Barbaresco.

Taste – Bright tart and ripe black cherry and other dark fruit flavors are layered and well integrated with complex notes of spiced toasted oak, herbal and floral components, rich cigar tobacco and a touch of black licorice.

Finish – Ultra long with this wines highly textured and sturdy tannins gripping onto the palate for an eternity as the black cherry, spice and other complex flavors linger away.

Conclusion – The 2004 Cascina Bruciata Barbaresco Rio Sordo Riserva DOCG is a truly exceptional example of the power and grace found in fine Barbaresco. This wine’s sublime complexity on the nose and palate is buttressed by its study but elegant structure. Certainly young to drink now (decant or let breathe for at least an hour), this wine will improve for a decade or more. Pair this wine with any classic Piedmonte cuisine, especially anything with truffles in it.

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: Francesco Baravalle

WINE EDUCATION: -Viticulture and Enology degree (2001 University of Turin)
-Sommelier degree (2008 Associazione Italiana Sommelier)

*WINE JOB BRIEF: * in addition to working in the Piedmont, I’ve spent three months in Margaret River (2003 Western Australia) and 4 years in Virginia making wine in the Monticello wine area (close to the city of Charlottesville).

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: Apply the technologies to enhance and respect the personalities of each wine terroirs.

WINEMAKER QUOTE: “wine is a devotion”

FIRST COMMERCIAL WINE RELEASE: Barolo Bricco Rocche Prapo’ 2003 (2007).

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WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT WHITE: Greetings, Francesco. We are thrilled to be showing your [wine] today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

FRANCESCO: Greetings to you!You are more then welcome, for me it is a great pleasure and honor to be part of this interview.

WHITE: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

FRANCESCO: My family in not into the wine business but I grew up going to vineyards during harvest time when my grandfather used to purchase grapes to make his own red wine. In addition, my dad is a great wine lover, so I’ve been educated to appreciate and respect wine.

WHITE: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

FRANCESCO: My stile is the Barolo and Barbaresco, I was born in Cuneo and I grew up surronded by this taste and flavors. I’m working now to understand more about this territory to get always the best expressions of it.

WHITE: Who do you make wine for?

FRANCESCO: I make wine for Cascina Bruciata, a little family owned winery located in one of the most prestigious crus of the Barbaresco DOCG area, the Rio Sordo

WHITE: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today.

FRANCESCO: Barbaresco Rio Sordo Riserva 2004 is a wine that comes from a 45 years old vineyard located in the heart of the Rio Sordo. In 2004 the grapes where perfectly ripe and healty,the whole season was very balanced (sun vs rain) and the flavors we are aprreciating now are showing great elegance in a perfect balance with its mouthfull body. We realised this wine in 2009 after have been elevated for 24 months in french allier oak barriques, 1 year in stainless steel tank and 1 year in bottle. This wine can age in bottle for another 10 years easily.

WHITE: What is your favorite pairing with today’s wine?

FRANCESCO: A structured wine requests a structured dish, I think it pairs wery well with pre-braised piedmontese veal marinated and cooked in Nebbiolo based wine (Barolo or Barbaresco).

WHITE: In your opinion, what makes the Piedmont so special?

FRANCESCO: Each wine from this region shows a very distinctive personality due to the hilly landscape and the ancient origin of the soil. Even inside the same cru you can find different espressions of the same style. The Nebbiolo grape in this area shows the highest quality with its unic aromatic profile.

WHITE: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

FRANCESCO: We are a small winery, so I do pretty much everything the season requests. Recently I’m spending a lot of time travelling to promote and explain what our territory is about. Spending time with people allows me to learn a lot and to share this “devotion” that I have for wine.

WHITE: How would you recommend people approach your wines and wine in general?

FRANCESCO: The beauty of wine is not only the sensorial experience of tasting it, it is about knowing the tradition and culture of people and territory behind it. We have infinite sources of info through the internet, so I think when we decide to discover a wine, it would be interesting and fun to get some info about where it is from.

WHITE: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

FRANCESCO: When we taste a wine we are exposed to traditions, lifestyle and taste; this is a great way to increase a lot our culture on people and territories. It is a lot of fun!

WHITE: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!

FRANCESCO: You are very welcome, thank you for letting me introduce my wine and region.

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The approximate location of the Cascina Bruciata and its vineyards can be seen in this satellite photo.