TN: 2013 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Ovello

• 2013 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Ovello - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco (5/25/2022)
  Testing out one of these in the name of science. Simple answer is do not follow my lead. This was a giant ball of tannin when I opened it. It was a giant ball of tannin after an hour in the decanter. It was a giant ball of tannin after three hours in the decanter. The tannin covers up a pretty impressive core of material, so I think the future is positive. It’s just that the future is not any time soon. This needs at least five more years in the cellar, and probably closer to ten.

Posted from CellarTracker

thanks for the data point, David

Brave man.

I think the 2013 Asili needs 11 years more

So then Rabaja needs 12?

yes exactly

Thanks, David. I don’t have the Ovello, but have a few others from '13. In my experience, the more structured vintages really need 20 years or so.

Agreed on the timing.

FWIW, I had also opened a 2013 Pora, but it was clearly compromised/cooked. Not sure what happened, as it was bought on release from a trusted retailed on the day it arrived in the store, then into my 53 degree cellar. Maybe cooked in transit or a faulty cork.

That’s real odd, since it sounds exactly how my 2013 normale was - it was also bought upon release and kept in my cellar since, yet it was obviously compromised/cooked in our vertical tasting. I have no idea what happened there, but this sounds like they might’ve had a systemic problem with the 2013 vintage.

Well I have a lot of 2013s, so ample future data points. You know, science!

We all appreciate the effort and sacrifice you’re willing to put in, just for the sake of science.

And maybe I should start using “science” as an explanation too when I’m asked why I have to go to a tasting third time this week!

Thanks for taking one for the team…for the sake for science.

So, based on your note, David, I guess I shouldn’t schedule my horizontal tasting of all nine '13 crus anytime soon?

Not unless you invite me, so that I can conserve some of my bottles. Also, I never managed to get Rio Sordo, so I only have eight of them.

A received the wood-boxed set of nine as a gift. Sounds like peak drinking may roughly coincide with my actuarially predicted date of death.