Dedicated to the town priest who first grouped 19 growers into a cooperative winery, this is an exciting new wine from Produttori del Barbaresco. From a winery literally located under the shadow of the Barbaresco church tower, the 2016 Barbaresco Riserva Don Fiorino reveals aged tones of dried fruit, earth and licorice. This dynamic co-op winery is best known for the agreeability of its Nebbiolo-based wines, although I feel this wine is a little too far along in terms of its evolution. There is cola, aniseed and dusty licorice root. The wine is drinking beautifully right now and should hold, although I might choose to err on the side of drinking it early, given the quickening pace of its bottle evolution. The winery aging regime see three years in oak casks and three years in bottle. It is a blend of most of the nine cru sites represented by this co-op winery. This new wine represents a production of 16,000 bottles.

Named after the priest who restarted the co-op after its beginnings in the village co-op. Catholic co-ops were common then as priests could read and write! Don Fiorino had a brilliant mind and had the foresight to convince the local farmers to make only Barbaresco even though in the 1950s and 1960s it was not easy to sell. 2016 was excellent for both quality and quantity with great diurnal temperature variation, so they decided to make two extra tanks for a super-blend. (But not Asili because they don’t have too much of that cru.) 16,000 bottles were offered direct to importers. The blend spent three years in wood and three years in bottle so it was released only in 2023. The idea is to make Don Fiorino only when the vintage is perfect and they can also make all the single-vineyard wines. To be shipped to the UK in spring 2024. Deep blackish ruby. Quite a complex, high-toned nose. Sweet and polished with treacle notes. Masses of fruit almost covers the tannins. Luscious. (JR)