The Jancis Robinson Story | Mission Blind Tasting | Wine writing competition

Barbaresco 2020 – the tasting notes

• 6 min read
Luca Pasquero-Elia

Following Walter's overview of the challenging 2020 vintage, here he reviews a mixed bag of 93 wines, with some exceptional ones that are worth seeking out. Walter's photo shows Paitin's Luca Pasquero-Elia.

The wines are grouped by commune and within the communes by MGA (menzione geografica aggiuntiva, ie named vineyard), ordered alphabetically.

Intercommunal blends

50% Roncaglie (Barbaresco), 35% Starderi (Neive), 15% Ronchi...

Aged for 12 months in French tonneaux and barriques, 10% new oak...

Mid ruby with bright orange tinges. Seductive oak and perfumed...

Just mid ruby. Sour cherry with stalky top notes. Soft, mellow...

Pale ruby with orange tinges. Dark spice notes on a rather shy...

Mid-to-deep ruby with orange tinges. Discreet, peppery red-fruit...

Alba

Alba. Just mid ruby. Minerally, saline nose that is still a...

Rizzi

Alba. Just mid ruby with orange tinges. A round, soft red-fruit...

Alba. Mid ruby with bright orange tinges. Brooding red-fruit...

Alba. Just mid ruby. Minerally nose with hints of iron and a...

Rocche Massalupo

Alba. Just mid ruby with orange tinges. Serious, deep and sweet...

Barbaresco

Barbaresco. Youthful mid ruby. A proper, concentrated fruit nose...

Barbaresco. Maturing mid ruby with orange tinges. Subtly oaked...

Asili

Barbaresco. Mid-to-deep ruby with orange tinges. Subtle...

Barbaresco. Maturing mid ruby with bright orange tinges. Pretty...

Barbaresco. Just mid ruby with orange tinges. Balsamic nose that...

Faset

Barbaresco. Mid ruby with orange tinges. Oak and spicy notes but...

Barbaresco. Just mid ruby. Firm, perfumed, sweet red-fruit nose...

Barbaresco. Mid ruby with orange tinges. Firm, spicy nose but...

Martinenga

Barbaresco. Mid ruby with bright orange tinges. Fine and...

Montaribaldi

Barbaresco. Just mid ruby. Very closed on the nose with only a...

Montestefano

Barbaresco. Deep ruby. Lots of ripe strawberry fruit on the nose...

Barbaresco. Mid ruby with orange tinges. Balsamic cherry nose...

Muncagöta

Barbaresco. Impressively dark ruby. Concentrated dark fruit with...

Ovello

Barbaresco. Just mid ruby. Balsamic nose with a hint of Band-Aid...

Barbaresco. Mid ruby with bright orange tinges. Ethereal marasca...

Barbaresco. Morassino is a historic lieu-dit in the Ovello MGA.
...

Pora

Barbaresco. Mid ruby. A pretty strawberry nose with a little...

Rabajà

Barbaresco. Lustrous mid ruby with orange tinges. Subdued fruit...

Barbaresco. Lustrous mid ruby. Quite subdued on the nose and...

Barbaresco. Just mid ruby with orange tinges. A deep spice nose...

Barbaresco. Concentrated mid ruby. Balsamic cherry and...

Rabajà-Bas

Barbaresco. Mid ruby with bright orange tinges. A shy, leafy...

Rio Sordo

Barbaresco. Lustrous ruby with orange tinges. Lift and...

Barbaresco. Lustrous mid ruby. Ripe, rich morello cherry nose...

Barbaresco. Lustrous mid ruby. A pretty, ripe raspberry nose...

Roncaglie

Barbaresco. Youthful, mid ruby. At first, a little compact and...

Barbaresco. Mid ruby with orange tinges. A fine cherry- and...

Barbaresco. Youthful mid ruby. Deep marasca cherry-fruit nose...

Roncagliette

Barbaresco. Roncagliette. Bottled at the beginning of 2023 and...

Barbaresco. A shade deeper than the Costa Russi. Deep, youthful...

Ronchi

Barbaresco. Concentrated mid ruby. Brooding cherry nose with a...

Secondine

Barbaresco. Youthful, shiny mid ruby. Lifted, fresh and focused...

Barbaresco. Pale ruby with orange tinges. Leafy and light nose...

Tre

...
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