Fausoni, Barbaresco DOCG 2019

The Fausoni Barbaresco DOCG 2019 is a single-vineyard Nebbiolo from Neive that places spice and forest ahead of fruit. In the glass, a glistening brick red with violet highlights and a light rust-colored rim. The nose opens earthy: undergrowth, forest floor and pine bark, along with tree resin, fir needles and a hint of umbrella pine. Juniper and black pepper add spice. The fruit only asserts itself with patience, then plum, elderberry and raspberry emerge.

The Fausoni cru lies a little outside Neive, with a southwest exposure, and around 45-year-old vines on 1.5 hectares – Sottimano's smallest site. Rino Sottimano bought the estate in the 1960s in the Cottà site; today Andrea, Elena and Claudia Sottimano run the estate within the triangle of Barbaresco, Neive and Treiso, and have worked for years according to biodynamic principles, without herbicides or synthetic fertilizers.

Pure Nebbiolo. Spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts, 25 days of maceration; malolactic fermentation also starts spontaneously, in French oak. 24 months of barrel aging with 15% new oak, the rest in second- to fourth-fill barrels, of which 12 months on the lees. Bottled unfined and unfiltered.

The wine follows a straight course, the tannin remaining restrained and finely integrated. Compactly built and carried by generous minerality that preserves the stony, cool impression; fruity sweetness is completely absent. The fruit turns toward sweet cherry and sour cherry, while the spicy and ethereal notes from the nose echo only faintly.

Saddle of lamb under a walnut crust with pan-fried Swiss potato noodles and creamed spinach, grilled presa ibérica with a Mediterranean olive-oil vegetable medley and sun-dried tomato chutney, or chicken harissa stew with fragrant rice.

Starting with the 2014 vintage, the estate revised its use of oak; since then, the wines have shown depth and approachability even when young. 14.0% vol., dry.