Barbaresco 'Pajore'

Score

94

"The Valeirano cru gives relatively gentler Barbarescos and this 2017 plays the part, a good thing, as at times La Spinetta wines can be characterized by too much oak and structure for palates both trained and not. This La Spinetta 2017 Barbaresco Valeirano is perfumed and elegant, very pretty in its not overly dark red colour, while offering crisp aromas and flavours of red and dark fruit, menthol and lavender. It closes with youthfully chewy tannins that are manageable, and with good length and freshness. Drinking window: 2024-2036"

Score

96

"Violet, new leather, truffle and spiced plum are just some of the aromas you'll find on this captivating red. Full bodied and boasting youthful tension, the linear palate delivers mature Morello cherry, spiced cranberry, star anise and tobacco framed in tightly knit, fine-grained tannins. Drink 2023–2030. "

Score

93

"With fruit from Treiso, this wine is often recognized by its immediate and accessible personality, with silky tannins and delicate floral aromas. The Sottimano family farms five separate vineyard sites in the appellation. The 2017 Barbaresco Pajoré is a little more subdued in this vintage with a wide assortment of earthy, wild fruit and licorice aromas. This expression offers a lower threshold on the aromatic high points. However, the palate is more elaborate and constructed in this vintage with firm, free-standing tannins that give lift and buoyancy. Some 5,000 bottles were made."

Score

90

"The 2017 Barbaresco Pajorè is a pretty big departure from what readers have come to expect here. Slender in feel, the 2017 does not have the size or aromatic breadth that are the signatures of Pajorè , one of the very top sites in Barbaresco. Red cherry, blood orange, chalk and mint all open up in the glass, and yet the 2017 remains unusually compact. Perhaps I caught the 2017 on a bad day. We will see."