Appellation: Barbaresco

Nebbiolo's more elegant expression, from the hills east of Alba — often a touch softer and quicker to open than neighboring Barolo.

Barbaresco lies just northeast of Barolo and shares its single grape, Nebbiolo, but the wines have a reputation for greater finesse. Slightly warmer sites and generally lighter soils tend to yield Barbaresco that is a little more approachable in youth, though the distinction between the two zones owes as much to producer and vineyard as to any firm rule.

Expect the same Nebbiolo signatures — rose, tar, red cherry, and a firm tannic spine — in a frame often described as more perfumed and refined. The best examples age gracefully for many years.