2016 Cantina del Pino - Barbaresco, Albesani (1.5L)

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Cantina del Pino, led by the Vacca family, has extremely deep roots in Barbaresco.  Giuseppe Vacca originally purchased the property in the 1920’s from Domizio Cavazza, the founder of Barbaresco’s Cantina Sociale who is often regarded as the father of the Barbaresco appellation. Giuseppe’s son Adriano was a founding member of the Produttori del Barbaresco in 1958 when the co-op was reestablished, and his relative Aldo Vacca still runs the Produttori cellar today.  Adriano continued to sell his fruit to the co-op until his son Renato convinced him to begin estate bottling in 1997. The estate is centered on a prime parcel of vineyards in the historic heart of Ovello that are crowned by a towering pine tree (hence, the 'Pino') planted by Cavazza 140 years ago. Over the past two decades Renato honed his skill, producing polished wines that stand as some of the most soulful in the region. The Ovello vineyard tends to yield wines of balance and mineral focus, while the Albesani vineyard is always more overtly powerful in its youth.  Tragically, Renato passed away in 2020 after a long battle with cancer, and 2016 and 2017 will mark some of the last vintages he was able to produce from start to finish. Cantina del Pino will continue under the direction of Renato’s wife, Franca, who has worked the estate since 2013.

We feel these wines offer tremendous value and serious pleasure, and we currently have in stock two of our favorite wines from the estate.  If you’re unfamiliar with Cantina del Pino, we really encourage you to listen to Levi Dalton’s podcast 'I'll Drink To That' interview with him.  This family is such an integral part of Barbaresco’s history.  While it’s very sad that Renato passed, these wines stand as a testament to his beliefs and passion.