Tasting Report: 2007 Barbaresco

A lot of great Nebbiolo is on the market already. So, if the 2007 vintage hadn’t come after so many excellent years in Piedmont, I think that everyone would be lining up to get their hands on 2007 Barbarescos. The 2007 Barolos are coming out in a few months as well.

That being said, 2007 is clearly better than many of the well-rated vintages of the last two decades, including 1998, 1999, 2003, and 2005. I think it is very close in quality and style to 2004 and 2001, even perhaps 1996.

I love the purity of fruit in the wines with dark berries, hints of tar, and flowers with just the right amount of space. They are wonderfully balanced for such young Nebbiolo-based reds, making them hard not to try now. However, patience will be rewarded. Most of the Barbaresco I tasted need about three to four more years of bottle age before opening. I would suggest decanting them at least two to three hours before serving.

I know that many of the top producers of Nebbiolo in both Barbaresco and Barolo tout the 2007 vintage as one of their best ever. A few months back, the legendary winemaker Bruno Giacosa asked me what I was going to rate his 2007 Barolo Le Rocche de l Falletto because he thinks that it is his best ever.

“You already gave the 2000 Rocche 100 points,” he said with a wicked grin.

I didn’t officially rate his 2007 Barolos yet, but they will be forthcoming in a few months. The fact is that his 2007 Barbaresco Santo Stefano di Neive was the best Barbaresco of my tasting. It underlines the true quality of the vintage, producing wines with precise and pure fruit and super refined tannins.

I tasted close to about 100 2007 Barbarescos, and the following in this report were the ones I would buy, or 90 points or more.

Wines also tasted but not rated:

Bruno Rocca Maria Adelaide Ca' del Baio Pora Carretta Graassino Castello di Neive Castello di Neive Santo Stefano Giuseppe Cortese Rabaja Marchesi di Grésy Camp Gros Martinenga Marchesi di Grésy Gaiun Martinenga Moccagatta Basarin Moccagatta Cole Orlando Abrigo Montersino Orlando Abrigo Vigna Rongalio Meruzzano Pio Cesare Pio Cesare Il Bricco Prunotto Prunotto Bric Turot Punset Punset Campo Quadro