Reviews
Antonio Galloni Wine Advocate 89+ Points
The 2008 Langhe Nebbiolo offers up tobacco, plums, spices and licorice. This is a fascinating wine, as it appears somewhat tired and faded upon opening, but then freshens up very nicely with air. Classic Nebbiolo dried roses, flowers, spices, licorice and tar emerge over time. Piedmont fans know Sottimano's Langhe Nebbiolo comes from young vines in the Basarin vineyard in Neive, and that technically it could be issued as a Barbaresco. Readers will want to keep that in mind, as in 2008 the Langhe Nebbiolo is far from the easy going wine its appellation and price suggest. It needs to be opened at least an hour in advance, and will benefit from at least another year or two in bottle. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2018. It's hard to go wrong with anything that emerges from this tiny, family-run winery in Neive.
International Wine Cellar 88 Points
Bright medium-deep red. Clean aromas of floral red berries and botanical herbs, with a somewhat intrusive cedar nuance emerging with aeration. Nicely concentrated flavors of red cherry, raspberry and licorice are supported by good acids but the building mouthcoating tannins are slightly astringent. A very serious wine that needs time, but I wonder if the fruit will outlive the tannins. Made from 15-year-old vines, this could well be a Barbaresco for many other less quality-oriented producers.
