Marinacci Barbaresco 2017

Manuel’s a young wine producer whose biggest claim to fame to date is as a class-mate of Giuseppe Mascarello at Alba’s viticultural school Umberto 1, which he left in the mid 1990s. Upon graduation Manuel worked abroad and locally for both large and small cantine/wineries before taking on the lease of the San Rocco Seno d’Elvio vineyard in 2002. Vintage 2004 was his first release. Manuel makes three wines: Dolcetto d’Alba, Barbera d’Alba and Barbaresco. Refreshingly Manuel immediately adopted the traditional approach to winemaking; Giuseppe’s influence perhaps rubbing off on him.

The Barbaresco is aged in large neutral oak barrels for two years. Manuel only vinifies that which is going into bottles with his name on them (rather than making wine out of all the crop and selling off any surplus as bulk wine); the rest is sold as fruit. So currently production of Barbaresco is at a third of capacity, circa 500 cases per annum. The style of Manuel’s wines are grounded in tradition, showing a kirsch purity & minerality normally associated with the comune of Treiso.

Tasting Notes

The wine's color is a brilliant ruby red tending to orange over time. Bright, fresh, juicy, blueberry violet cream fondent, crushed minerals, such clarity. Ethereal, with composite licorice on the nose, and a dry caressing sensation on the palette, this wine is quiet with great elegance.

Food Pairing

Pairs well with beef, pasta, lamb and game.