Cantina del Pino 'Gallina' Barbaresco DOCG, 2019

In Barbaresco, Cantina del Pino is releasing the last vintage in which Renato had a hand. He was already well into his illness, so Franca took the lead and they are some of the best wines the winery has produced to date.

This is the second time we are offering this wine and I couldn't be more excited. Last year proved to be a remarkable opportunity and our own experience and engagement with this sublime bottling followed many critics' writing to the letter... -JZS

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The wisdom in waiting until last year is a little confusing at first...but, if you catch my vibe of how curated we are, you'll understand. Essentially, Gallina, while among the smallest and dearest production Barbaresco EVER, the Cru simultaneously accounts for some of Vacca's youngest vines (still developed and mature but *less* so than Ovello and Albesani) AND the wine additionally stands as the largest single component of Vacca's DOCG blended bottling featured just above. So...in years past I've felt like if we skip this, we tell a sufficient story and share a sufficient snapshot of Vacca's work...this year I feel differently and I invite you, expressly, to join me. You see, the DOCG multi-cru blend is Vacca's *flagship* as it best reflects his house style and blending ability...isn't this a super component of the absolute favorite wine of mine? I think so! I'm going for it. Come with me! (And, the world agrees with me...just read the below!)

“The Cantina del Pino 2019 Barbaresco Gallina is also quite subtle and delicate. This wine plays to the smaller nuances of Nebbiolo with violet, iris, dusty limestone and wild currant. The tannins are silky, and the wine feels soft and satin-like to the palate. A precious few 2,000 bottles were created.”  This whole portfolio from Cantina del Pino is terrific, with top-notch expressions of Nebbiolo that are fine and fragile.
WA Monica Larner  95 Points  Published: Aug 24, 2023

The late Renato and his father Adriano decided to leave the Produttori del Barbaresco nearly three  decades ago, an organization that Adriano co-founded in 1958 with his brother Celestino.  I imagine at the time it was a difficult decision, as the family was instrumental in the creation of the Produttori, just as they were instrumental in the very creation of the appellation now world famous as Barbaresco. The very first bottling named Barbaresco came from their vineyard “Ovello”. But it was a wise move as we can now see, in that they have created one of the greatest estates in the zone or all of Piemonte for that matter. One that has quickly reached levels of critical acclaim that one would expect that could only be achieved over generations. But then again, they have been doing it that long, just under different names.  And now there is a new chapter with Renato’s wife Franca taking over the reins. My first taste of the first wine that she made all on her own, the 2020 Langhe Nebbiolo dispelled any hint of a doubt that the student has surpassed the teacher.

All Barbareschi from CdP undergo extended submerged cap fermentations with indigenous yeast, (unless, as is sometimes the case in warmer years,  it does not start fast enough.) post fermentation macerations that keep the wine and skins together for  at least 30 days and then they are  moved to large (25-30 HL) Botte for two  years plus  in the case of the Classico bottling and longer (30 months) for crus. After 6-12 months in bottle the wines are released.