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The Sottimano 2009 Langhe Nebbiolo is a great example of how some things just get better with age. This wine is sure to be fantastic after a little more time in the bottle. If you can’t wait to taste it though, just give it some good time in the decanter and the flavors will balance and breathe for pleasant drinkability now.

The Sottimano Langhe Nebbiolo comes from the well-respected Basarin cru in Neive. This area is known for making some of the best Barbaresco, and in fact Sottimano could have qualified his vines for just such a project. However, the plants used to produce this particular wine are a mere 14-15 years old, on the young end for showing the balance and complexity of Barbaresco. As a result, Sottimano chose to declassify from the Barbaresco DOCG to produce a straight Nebbiolo varietal instead.

As noted, this Nebbiolo is grown in a Barbaresco area. This area of the Piedmont offers more moderate temperatures than the Barolo growing vineyards, and also tend to grow grapes with slightly softer tannins. Grapes from this area tend to be picked sooner, and generally ages more quickly than grapes from the Barolo areas as well.

The Sottimano family is known for producing high quality wines. This Langhe Nebbiolo is no exception.

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