Jay Kline

9.6

The 2016 “Don Fiorino” Riserva is a very special bottling from Produttori. So special in fact, that I can only recall them making a similar Riserva on two other occasions in their history: 1990 and 2008. When the vintage is strong, Produttori will bottle single-cru Riservas from 9 specific MGA’s within the cooperative. However, in 2016 the vintage was deemed to be so remarkable that they made a Riserva blend. Included in this blend are the 9 typical MGA’s along with grapes from some other, important MGA’s that are never bottled on their own (I believe Cottà and Faset are two of them). To commemorate the occasion, the wine was named after the priest, Don Fiorino Marengo who founded the Produttori in 1958. This is a wine fitting to such a legacy. Imagine the 2016 Produttori classico cranked up to 11. That’s about what we’ve got.

Popped and poured, enjoyed over the course of an hour. The 2016 “Don Fiorino” pours a deep garnet color with a transparent core; medium+ viscosity with no staining of the tears. On the palate, the wine is developing with powerful notes of tart and ripe dark fruits: black cherry, pomegranate molasses, red flowers, talcum powder, sage and gravelly earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with low-key high tannin and zippy, medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is remarkably long and juicy. So juicy in fact that it seems to mask the tannins but they are definitely there. The density is unreal. I expect this wine to live forever. Drink now with patience to appreciate its precocious youth (and because the 2016 vintage is so damned giving) but I expect this to be even better after 2031 and then remarkable through 2066. Thanks to @Lyle Fass for the assist. — 6 months ago

Nicol R

9.5

Tart berries, warming and oh so delicious. — 3 years ago

Galen Hasler

8.9

Classic juicy fruit and acidity — 9 months ago

Brad Jensen

8.9

Perfect pairing for pork ragu. Grippy tannins but perfectly balanced, beautiful dark fruits, tasting well right now. — a year ago

with Tiva

Livio Pastorino

9.1

Buena calidad precio de este malbec, servicio de 16° a 18° C, acompañe con pollo a la marengo, arroz, sabroso, invita a seguir tomando, vista color rojo intenso, en nariz, recuerdos a fresa, ciruelas, en boca agradable, intenso, de taninos suaves, fresco, untuoso, sensaciones a frutos rojos, persistencia media larga, final frutado. vino ligero, sencillo facil de tomar muy versatil, se puede combinar casi con cualquier plato de carnes, me gusto. Saludos.
— 3 years ago

Gabriele Rotti

8.9

A great barbera, value for money. — 3 years ago

Ceccherini Cristiano

9.3

Old style wine
I love the detailed description attached to the neck of the bottle telling you all about the site, the winemaking and how to deal with the wine

This is a Barbacarlo's brother, not minor though

It starts quite fruit orientated, but it does unfold over many hours in the decanter

At first you can mistake it for a robust sparkling shiraz(given that it has a fizz when opened).
Day 2 the blue mineral it's all over and it is smoother and more enjoyable too( the tannin is more digestible too)
Very long and to review again in many years

Ps after a battle in Marengo(Italy) Napoleon stopped by in the area and sipped on this delicious nectar; from there the vineyard hill is also called Napoleon's hill(as well as Montebuono hill). — 10 months ago

Ed Chin

9.1

Well balanced at this stage. Still a good amount of fruit there. — 2 years ago

Kev

8.9

Sharp and briny. Lovely taste of Corsica with a pasta dish. Did really well with pork sausage and fennel. — 3 years ago

Philip Patston

9.0

A wine from Iowa. A first for me. And what a nice surprise. A really well made wine. This French hybrid does well in cooler weather and this is a really good example. A bit like a Pinot Grigio or Pinot Blanc. But not sweet and nothing foxy or weird. Really very enjoyable. — 3 years ago