A Barbaresco with an unusual style within the denomination due to the use of a particular sub-variety of Nebbiolo, the Rosé biotype: the novelty comes from the Orlando Abrigo winery, a family business in the Cappelletto hamlet, in the Treiso area (CN). The scientific term of the biotype, CN 111, also gave it the name: Barbaresco CN_CENTOUNDICI 2018.
“It is a delicate and persuasive, vertical and fine Barbaresco that manages to be very enjoyable and versatile at the table already in its youth” explains Giovanni Abrigo at the helm of the company founded by his father Orlando since the end of the 80s “A Barbaresco that has all the qualities to be able to evolve, as per the tradition of this denomination, over the years".
Until now, very few producers in the Langhe have exclusively used this clone of Nebbiolo to obtain a wine. Compared to the more widespread Lampià, in fact, this sub-variety is unable to give the wine a particularly intense colour, but rather more transparent nuances, and therefore it has always been preferred to combine it in a blend.
Yet, its peculiarities, starting from its so little concentrated color, reserve great satisfaction. "The aromaticity of this nebbiolo is very fine and elegant, the structure is less powerful because it has thinner tannins, capable of bringing out the more mineral and fresh side of this noble vine," continues Giovanni Abrigo.
5% of Nebbiolo Rosé is present in the cellar's vineyards and has always been vinified separately. “We have been studying it for some time, since all the parcels of our crus are vinified individually. Over the years, therefore, it has been natural to understand and appreciate its undisputed merits. We therefore thought it was time to bottle it separately, giving rise to a new label".
The grapes for Barbaresco CN_CENTOUNDICI 2018 come from the vineyards of the Menzione Geografica Aggiuntiva (MGA) Meruzzano, located at about 350 meters above sea level in the municipality of Treiso, with South-West exposure. It is a real cru composed of calcareous and silty soils, where the typical white marls belonging to the so-called "Lequio Formation" are found. The Nebbiolos of this mention have always given wines of excellent freshness, with tannins with a very refined texture.
After the harvest, at the beginning of October, and a soft pressing, the grapes undergo a maceration of about 40 days in wood. Subsequently the must is placed in tonneaux for ¼ of new wood where the malolactic fermentation takes place. Here they continue their maturation for 15 months in order to maintain the freshness and elegance typical of the Rosé del Nebbiolo biotype. Bottled in August, it is further refined for a minimum of 6 months before being marketed.
The particularly pale ruby red color is the first of the characteristics that CN_CENTOUNDICI Barbaresco reveals as soon as it is poured into the glass. The notes of violet and rose, very delicate and fine, oxygenating, leave room for tertiary nuances of spices and leather. On the palate the tannin is present but graceful, with a fine and juicy texture, which blends well with the interweaving of a very sapid and fresh structure.
Produced in just 2400 bottles, Barbaresco CN_CENTOUNDICI 2018 is distributed exclusively in the Horeca channel.
The Orlando Abrigo company owns its vineyards to produce Barbaresco within two of the 66 MGAs (Additional Geographic Mentions) approved in 2007 and present in the Montersino and Meruzzano production regulations. They are both positioned at an altitude between 300 and 350 m with a southern exposure characterized by the typical white marls belonging to the so-called Lequio formation.
Meruzzano is the second MGA by extension of the entire Barbaresco denomination: the company's vineyards are between 15 and 25 years old and have a south-west exposure. Here Nebbiolo manages to give wines of excellent fruity freshness and with fine-grained and elegant tannins. Inside there is also the Rongallo vineyard whose Nebbiolo is vinified separately and gives rise to the homonymous Barbaresco which since 2011 has been sold as a reserve only in the best vintages.
Montersino is considered one of the most noble MGAs in the Barbaresco area and was already reported as a "position of particular value" by Lorenzo Fantini in his "Monograph on viticulture and enology in the province of Cuneo" of 1879.
