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.
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.