2016 La Ca' Nova Barbaresco Montestefano
Day One notes:
First time trying this producer. Pop and pour.
Wow! This wine has incredibly seductive fruit... pure, clean, elegant, fruit with robust flavor.... a real treat.
Seems too fruit driven to be a Barbaresco, but after 20 mins or so, you notice the filigreed fine tannins bringing beautiful structure into play. The more air, the more the presence of the tannins kicks in... not in a harsh way, but they let you know that this wine will be at its best a few years down the road. A couple of hours later, there's almost a Clerico-like clench to the tannins on the back end.
I have half the bottle left to assess day 2 performance.
It's worth cracking a bottle now if you have several to hang onto, otherwise wait at least another five years.
----------------
Day Two Notes:
I need to try this next to a 2016 PdB Montestefano...... to see where they're at and what the winemaker's goal is for this vintage and vineyard. Day X impression....... this 2016 La Ca' Nova Montestefano seems a bit too fruit forward.... not enough tannic structure .... only time will tell with regard to aging.... I just expect more more of a foundation for the fruit.... the clench at the end finish on day one with fine tannins seems to have subsided to include a bit warm-ish fruit finish...It's always fun to blow a bunch of hot air trying to assess a wines long term potential .... I mean , after all, who knew El Nido Clio, arguably an opulent wine, can age well for quite a few years? Will need to delve into harvest date, exposure, vinification process, etc. compared to PdB...Is 2016 a hybrid of 2000 and 1997 vintages in Barbaresco..I'd like to hear from the Man with a 12th century traditional palate (@"Philippe Richer") on his perspective for the 2016 Barbaresco vintage..👍🍇It would be interesting to do a current tasting of 2016 Montestefano across different producers because it's such an opulent vintage... As a consumer, I feel it's a best practice to earn a Barbaresco at its peak 😉
