Barbaresco “Currá" DOCG 2020

Az. Agr. Sottimano | Piedmont
Az. Agr. Sottimano s.s.a. | Loc. Cottà 21 | IT 12052 Neive

29562620 · 0,75 l · 132,00 €/l · Price (DE) incl. VAT, excl. Shipping< 24 units available

Currá: 2.8 hectares in the municipality of Neive, exposed to the south-south-west, where 55 to 75-year-old Nebbiolo vines sink their roots deep into pure limestone soil. This cru has always been synonymous with Barbareschi wines of exceptional structure and long ageing potential, wines that open up more slowly than their siblings and defy time with powerful, persistent tannins. The average yield is a modest 40 hectolitres per hectare – a deliberate self-restriction that guarantees concentration and expression in every berry. Currá combines the tannic power of a classic Barbaresco with the charming elegance that Neive brings to its wines, creating a wine of remarkable complexity. Andrea Sottimano treats the grapes from this vineyard with the same respectful care as all his cru wines: After meticulous hand-picking and selection, alcoholic fermentation takes place spontaneously with native yeasts. Maceration lasts up to three months, during which the cap of marc is regularly punctured in open stainless steel vats – this intensive extraction gives the Currá its characteristic tannin-emphasised structure. After transfer to wood, malolactic fermentation takes place slowly and naturally in barriques from the Burgundy cooperage François Frères, with around 15 per cent new wood being used. The wine matures in the barrel for 24 months before being bottled unfiltered and unfined and then left to rest in the bottle for another year to reach its full expressive potential.

A slightly transparent ruby red in the glass with brick-coloured reflections and a bouquet of beguiling complexity: violets, aniseed and fennel seeds blend with notes of laurel and the best cubeb pepper over a base of juicy black and sour cherries. Menthol, liquorice and star anise mingle with darker fruit – plums and redcurrants –while hints of espresso, burnt leather and cedar add depth to the bouquet. On the palate, this Barbaresco is linear and full-bodied, still youthfully austere, but with an enveloping power that is already impressive. The tannin structure is strong and tightly woven, the tannins are grippy and fine-grained at the same time, supported by a lively acidity that gives the wine tension and freshness. Marasca cherry, pomegranate and liquorice dominate the palate, accompanied by spicy herbs and a hint of French oak. A Barbaresco of impressive substance and elegance at the same time, which needs a few more years in the cellar to develop its full finesse – ideal from 2026, with a maturation potential of certainly two decades. SUPERIORE.DE

"This wine is released one year later than the other Barbarescos in this portfolio. The Sottimano 2020 Barbaresco Currá reveals an open-knit character with immediate tones of tart cherry, dried raspberry and lavender sachet. There is an inherent sweetness to those fruit and floral aromas, and the wine remains contained in terms of mouthfeel thanks to its mid-weight texture." Wine Advocate

"The 2020 Barbaresco Currà is an infant, but it is stellar. Wild, savory and intensely perfumed, the 2020 is super-expressive of place. The Currà is the deepest of the 2020s, also the most backward. I would not be in any rush to open bottles. Black fruit, leather, tobacco and cloves add to an impression of brooding intensity." Vinous